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The Chuck Negron Story

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Having experienced greater highs (18 consecutive top 20 singles, 12 gold albums) and lower lows (drug addiction, homelessness) than most people could ever imagine, former Three Dog Night vocalist Chuck Negron's life story (subtitled Biography Of An Entertainer)- which contains a 52 minute interview with Negron, interspersed with some live footage and loads of photographs - makes for compelling viewing.

Spending his adolescent years in Woodycrest, a Bronx home for "friendless" children, Negron developed a love for both music and basketball at an early age. A basketball scholarship to a west coast college conveniently allowed Negron to pursue a recording career - as Chuck Rondell - with Mart-Van Records, and then Columbia. Forced by Columbia to choose between basketball and music, Negron opted to sing. Seduced by the seedy side of the music business, the formerly cleancut collegian then began a 25 year drug habit.

In 1967, Negron hooked up with Cory Wells and Danny Hutton in the group Redwood, as protégés of Brian Wilson. This unsuccessful venture led to their formation of Three Dog Night with other musicians. The documentary includes concert footage of Three Dog Night singing "It's For You" as well as a dramatic performance of "Eli's Coming" on a television variety show. There's also a clip of Three Dog Night's 1972 Cotton Bowl concert where Negron performs with a badly cut up nose and broken arm in sling just hours after a drug induced car accident. A montage of the group performing in concert accompanied by the previously unreleased gem "Save Our Ship" is probably the documentary's highlight.

Negron also provides remembrances from this period of his peers Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison, whose collective demise due to drugs makes for a smooth seque into Negron's discussions about his own drug use which escalated into heroin addiction during Three Dog Night's glory years. Negron is at his most frank recalling his post Three Dog Night fall from grace due to drugs. Anecdotes include almost becoming one of the Wonderland Murder victims (he was supposed to be there at the time purchasing drugs, but feel asleep), a failed suicide attempt, and stealing his girlfriend's car, which led to the option of jailtime or rehab at Cri-Help.

Amazingly, the Cri-Help stint - Negron's 37th attempt to get clean - took and here the story gets inspirational. While working with other addicts to help them get sober, Negron performed at a Cri-Help Christmas Show which revived his interest in singing. The documentary then focuses on Negron's subsequent solo projects - including his excellent 1996 Christmas cd Joy To The World and the cathartic 1999 autobiography Three Dog Nightmare. The documentary concludes with a clip of Chuck singing "Joy To The World," his voice as strong and supple as it was during his years with Three Dog Night, his life now truly filled with joy.

The dvd also includes 48 minutes of "bonus" footage. Among the featured extras are snippets of Negron's appearances on various talk shows like Geraldo. Leeza, and The O'Reilly Factor, a piece on the oxygen tank Negron must travel with as a result of his years of drug abuse, and an eight-minute speech Negron gave to a group of recovering drug addicts which shows his immense gift for public speaking. The bonus highlight is the 18 plus minutes of Three Dog Night performing "Good Feeling (1957) " as their alter egos The Vomitones, a doo wop group with pompadours, glittery attire, and slick stage banter.

The Chuck Negron Story is an informative documentary/collection that devotees of those Biography/True Hollywood Story programs, and especially Three Dog Night fans will love. Make sure you check out the companion dvd Chuck Negron Live In Concert as well. It is available from Amazon for the same great price as this dvd.

This is an incredible story equalled by few similar documentaries about rock stars. If you are a fan you MUST see this. Chuck went from the height of worldwide fame and success, to the depths of delusion, despair and almost death. Truly an amazing and inspiring story. If you like this DVD, read Chuck's book, "Three Dog Nightmare", which is astounding. The book takes you through TDN's beginnings through the evolution of groupies, drugs abuse, drug dealers attempts at murder, self abuse....it is a compelling, and often times a disturbing story. If you are a TDN fan, this DVD and the book are enough to keep you thoroughly immersed for days. Even if you are not a TDN fan, the portrayal of the "psychology" (so to speak) of a herion addict is sickening, sad, captivating and an awakening in and of itself. p.s. when you see this DVD and/or read the book, you will come to realize that there can be no doubt that Chuck Negron was the essence of TDN.

As a lifelong Three Dog Night Fan, I am always interested in what the members of the original band has been up to. To the youngsters who never got the chance to hear Chuck, Corey & Danny's harmony, while they were in the prime, I'm sorry. You missed out on one of the greatest treats of the era. EAR CANDY, indeed. (Thankfully, most of the original jams are on CD format, and I strongly urge ya'll to give them a listen).

The mixture of dope, ego's, dope, groupies, dope and more ego problems led to the fall from grace. I'm sorry that it had to happen. Which leads to my appreciation that Mr. Negron was able to pull himself out of his self-inflicted "hell", and to find CRI-HELP, and turn his life around. Not that it was easy, or he made it without permanent damages to his soul, but at least he did not come down with HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis. This DVD was purchased at a local music store for $19.99 (Amazon has a much better deal) but it is still worth what I paid for it. If you have read Three Dog Nightmare, then you have an idea what you'll see and hear on the DVD. The audio & visual of the DVD is clear.

I would love to see, one more reunion, but I bet it won't happen.

Oustanding! At long last a documentary about one of the best entertainers of our time! It could be 5 hours longer and would still go by in a minute! To see someone survive being a victim of a long addiction to drugs, and come out of it the way he has is more than important for kiss to watch and learn from. Letting us all know that one can lose everything in a blink of an eye, if you should go down the wrong path. This film also teaches us all about how much harder it is the take the long road back and survive.

You'll laugh and you'll cry as you "witness" Chuck's life unfold before you. The fact that he survived what he did is a testament to his strength, determination and faith in God to bring him out of the torment and find happiness.

I have owned this now for a couple years and have not grown tired of watching Chuck Negron as he became a major part of one of rock's greatest bands as well as a solo performer. It tells his story, good and bad, pulling no punches. Well worth the watch. Makes me proud of the man he is today.

This is an incredible story. It is an inspiration to others who need to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A life can be turned around and Chuck Negron is living proof. To see the hell he went through and fought his way back is amazing. I would recommend this video to any Three Dog Night/Chuck Negron fan or anyone who needs some inspiration to get their life back on track.

chuck i commend you on telling your story . hopefully it will help others to either stop using drugs or not start.people tend to think being a star is all peaches and cream. you definitely show the down sound. you also show that drugs can be overcome. i am not a drug expert but when someone is on drugs as long as you were i doubt they normally ever make it back. may god bless and keep you and yours.

What a amzing show and Chuck still has it,they dont sound like this anymore the rock singers of today. The only thing that could have made this dvd better if it was longer. I hope that Chuck might think about releasing a full vintage concert someday of Three Dog Night.

This is a GREAT DVD for any fan of Three Dog Night's music.

You Will LOVE IT.......

Chuck you kick ASS.......God bless You and you family and wishing you the best and thats for the GREAT music you have broght us over the many years.

For fans of Three Dog Night, this is a great DVD. It tells the story from the humble perspective of a reformed drug addict. I especially liked the file footage of the band, much of which I have not seen before. You realize just what a great group they were. I'm glad to learn that Chuck has his life back in order.