LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chuck Negron, a founding member of Three Dog Night whose lead vocals powered a string of hits including “Joy to the World," “One” and “An Old Fashioned Love Song” for one of the top rock acts of the late 1960s and early '70s, died Monday. He was 83.
He died of complications from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to his publicist Zach Farnum.
Negron also sang lead on “Easy To Be Hard” and “The Show Must Go On.” The band's other hits include ”Black and White," “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” ”Never Been to Spain" and “Shambala.”
In December 1972, the band hosted and performed on the inaugural edition of Dick Clark’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”
By 1975, album sales had declined and the band had its last Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Til the World Ends.” Internal strife fractured the group and it fell apart the next year.
In 1981, the group reunited, but Negron was dismissed in late 1985 because of recurring drug issues.
In 1967, Negron joined Danny Hutton and Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night, a vocal trio with roots in R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, and urban doo wop. They found success two years later with their first million-selling single “One,” written by Harry Nilsson.
Negron engaged in heavy drug use during the band's quick ascension to the top of the charts. He spent his fortune on drugs and even ended up on Los Angeles' Skid Row for a time.
After numerous stints in rehab, he became sober in 1991 and went on to have a successful solo career, releasing seven albums between 1995 and 2017. His 1999 book, “Three Dog Nightmare,” detailed his ups and downs.
After decades of estrangement between him and Hutton, the two men reconciled last year. Hutton and Michael Allsup are the lone surviving members.
Born Charles Negron II on June 8, 1942, he grew up in the Bronx singing in doo wop groups from an early age. His parents divorced when he was 2. He was recruited by California State University to play basketball, which brought him to Los Angeles, where he began working in the music industry.
In his later years, Negron toured through chronic COPD for three decades. The COVID-19 pandemic sidelined him permanently.
Negron is survived by wife Ami Albea Negron and five children, including Berry Oakley Jr., the son of Allman Brothers Band bassist Berry Oakley, who was killed in a 1972 motorcycle accident. Negron was for a time married to Julia Negron, the younger Oakley's mother, and helped raise infant Berry Jr.
FILE - Chuck Negron, former lead singer of Three Dog Night, sings to a crowd during a Christmas Eve party, Dec. 24, 1997, at the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Hayes, File)
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners acquired All-Star infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Seattle sent infielder Ben Williamson to the Rays, and a pair of minor league prospects to the rebuilding Cardinals: pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfielder Tai Peete.
St. Louis also received a 2026 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick (68th overall) from the Mariners.
Tampa Bay shipped minor league outfielder Colton Ledbetter and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick this year (72nd overall) to the Cardinals.
“We are pleased that, because of this deal, we will add five more promising young players to the talent pipeline that has always fueled this organization’s sustained success,” Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said in a statement. “We believe we’ve added exciting athleticism and upside on both sides of the ball, with more to come in this summer’s draft."
Donovan, 29, was a first-time All-Star last year, when he batted .287 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .775 OPS. Over a four-year major league career, he has hit .282 with 40 homers, 97 doubles and a .772 OPS. He also won a utility player Gold Glove as a rookie in 2022.
“It’s tough to imagine a better fit for our current team than Brendan,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “His combination of offensive skill, defensive versatility, consistency in performance, baseball instincts, and quality of character line up with what we value most.”
Donovan has a $5.8 million, one-year contract. He is eligible for arbitration again next winter and is on track to be eligible for free agency after the 2027 World Series.
He could slot into the middle of the Mariners' batting order in the way Jorge Polanco did last season. Polanco hit 26 homers, then became a free agent and signed a $40 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets.
Donovan has started 202 career games at second base, 139 in left field, 29 at third base and 23 in right field. He was primarily a second baseman for the Cardinals last year, starting 91 games there.
Considering the Mariners parted ways with Williamson and elected not to re-sign Eugenio Suárez, Donovan could make sense for Seattle at third base. Also in the fold is highly regarded shortstop prospect Colt Emerson, who played six games for Triple-A Tacoma last year.
Seattle last season came within one win of the franchise’s first World Series appearance.
To make room for Williamson on the 40-man roster, Tampa Bay left-hander Ken Waldichuk was designated for assignment. Williamson hit .253 with one home run and 21 RBIs with above-average defense at third base as a rookie for Seattle last year.
Cijntje and Ledbetter were teammates at Mississippi State in 2023. At the Mariners’ fan fest Sunday at T-Mobile Park, Seattle said the ambidextrous Cijntje was going to focus solely on pitching right-handed going forward rather than with both arms. In a news release announcing the deal, St. Louis listed Cijntje as a right-handed pitcher.
The 22-year-old Cijntje was selected 15th overall by the Mariners in the 2024 amateur draft. He went 5-7 with a 3.99 ERA and 120 strikeouts over 108 1/3 innings last year in the minors.
Peete, 20, was drafted 30th overall by the Mariners in 2023. Across three seasons in Seattle's farm system, he batted .247 with 28 home runs, 154 RBIs, 76 stolen bases and a .724 OPS in 1,166 plate appearances.
Ledbetter, 24, was chosen by the Rays in the second round of the 2023 draft. He hit .269 with 25 home runs and 126 RBIs in 253 games across three minor league seasons with Tampa Bay.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game, Sept. 23, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
