Three Dog Night had a succession of 21 hit singles, including eleven Top Tens, and twelve consecutive gold albums from 1969 to 1975, thanks to the slick vocal harmonies of singers Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells.
Wells and Hutton met in the 60s while Cory was the lead singer of The Enemies and Danny Hutton, a former cartoon voice-over artist, served as producer.
In 1967, Hutton conceived the idea of a three-vocalist group, and he and Wells enlisted mutual friend Negron.
They took their name from an Eskimo expression describing low temperatures at night (the colder the night the more dogs needed to keep warm while sleeping).
The trio made a few unsuccessful singles and decided to expand their range by hiring backing musicians, who included guitarist Mike Allsup, keyboard player Jimmy Greenspoon, bassist Joe Schermie and drummer Floyd Sneed.
A Harry Nilsson composition, One, became the band’s first Top Ten hit in 1969, while their version of a Randy Newman song – Mama Told Me (Not To Come) – hit number one a year later.
Joy To The World became the band’s biggest hit in 1971, spending six weeks at the top of the Billboard charts.
Their winning streak continued with their final number one, 1972’s Black and White, and their final Top Ten, 1974’s The Show Must Go On.
By 1976, internal dissent arose in the group, as the original concept of three equal singers had given way to Negron taking the lead on most of their songs.
Dissatisfied, Hutton left the group and Three Dog Night officially disbanded a year later.
There was a brief reunion in the early 80s and Hutton and Wells have since taken a version of Three Dog Night out on the oldies circuit.
Keyboard player Jimmy Greenspoon passed away in 2015.
Danny Hutton
Vocals Chuck Negron
Vocals Cory Wells
Vocals Mike Allsup
Guitar Jimmy Greenspoon Keyboards Joe Schermie
Bass Floyd Sneed
Drums
Video
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Their winning streak continued with their final number one, 1972’s Black and White, and their final Top Ten, 1974’s The Show Must Go On.
