Chuck Negron, Three Dog Night singer, voice behind 'Joy to the World,' dead at 83

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FILE-Musician Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night performs onstage during the 10th anniversary of the Happy Together Tour at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on July 18, 2019 in Thousand Oaks, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

Chuck Negron, a founding member of Three Dog Night whose lead vocals powered numerous hits including "Joy to the World," died. He was 83 years old. 

Negron died Monday of complications from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home in Los Angeles, the Associated Press reported, citing his publicist Zach Farnum.

The musician was also known for songs like "Easy To Be Hard" and "The Show Must Go On." And Three Dog Night's other hits, like "Black and White," "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," "Never Been to Spain" and "Shambala."

Who was Chuck Negron?

The backstory:

Chuck Negron was born on June 8, 1942. He grew up in the Bronx singing in doo wop groups at a young age. Negron's parents divorced when he was 2, and he was later recruited by California State University to play basketball, which brought him to Los Angeles, where he began working in the music industry.

Years later, Negron joined Danny Hutton and Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night in 1967, and the group found success two years later with their first million-selling single "One," written by Harry Nilsson, the Associated Press reported. 

In December 1972, Three Dog Night performed on the inaugural edition of Dick Clark’s "New Year’s Rockin’ Eve." And three years later, in 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 collapsed the next year.

The band reunited in 1981, but Negron was removed from the group in late 1985 because of recurring drug problems.

Negron became sober in 1991 and found success as a solo artist, releasing seven albums between 1995 and 2017. His 1999 book, "Three Dog Nightmare," detailed his struggles.

The AP reported that after years of estrangement between him and Hutton, the two men reconciled last year. Hutton and Michael Allsup are the lone surviving members. Negron is survived by his wife, Ami Albea Negron and five children.