In honor of the late Chuck Negron, who passed away earlier this week (February 2, 2026), today’s classic song of the day is one of Three Dog Night’s many, many hits. “The Family of Man” was released as a single in March of 1972 and peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“The Family of Man” was written by prolific songwriter Paul Williams and collaborator Jack Conrad. Mr. Williams was responsible for several Three Dog Night hits, including “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “Out in the Country.” Mr. Conrad was responsible for many songs for many artists, including the Babys, Heart, and the Doors.
The three lead singers of Three Dog Night shared vocal duties on “The Family of Man.” Danny Hutton sang lead on the first verse, Chuck Negron on the second (and on the out chorus), and Cory Wells on the third. The other members of Three Dog Night playing on this track included Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards, Joe Schermie on bass, and the indomitable Floyd Sneed on drums.
Chuck Negron was born in 1942 and grew up in New York City. He started singing in doo-wop groups while he was at William Howard Taft High School in the Bronx, then moved to California to attend college at Allan Hancock College and then California State University in Los Angeles.
In 1967, Negron was recruited, along with Cory Wells, by singer Danny Hutton to form the group Three Dog Night. They ruled the charts for half a decade, racking up 21 top forty hits, including three number ones (“Mama Told Me Not to Come,” “Joy to the World,” and “Black and White”).
Unfortunately, Negron developed a serious heroin addiction in the early seventies, which contributed to Three Dog Night’s breaking up in 1976. It took him almost two decades, but Negron finally beat his addiction in the early nineties. He then embarked on a solo career, releasing a half-dozen albums and writing an autobiography, Three Dog Nightmare.
Chuck Negron passed away of heart failure and COPD on February 2, 2026, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 83 years old.
