Former Journey frontman Steve Perry is considered by many to be one of the all-time great vocalists in rock history. Perry has now shared a heartfelt tribute to a singer he says was a major influence on him when he was young—founding Three Dog Night member Chuck Negron.
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Negron died on February 2 at age 83 of heart failure, while he also battled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
[RELATED: “Joy to the World” Singer Chuck Negron Passes Away at 83]
Perry wrote of his fandom of Negron and Three Dog Night in a message posted on his social media pages.
“When I was a young man dreaming about being a singer, Three Dog Night was a compass for me with many soulful musical directions,” the 77-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer began. “Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells, along with an amazing funky band, were the soundtrack of my youth. [On] February 2, 2026, Chuck Negron left the planet.”
Perry then shared that one of his favorite songs Negron sung is “Easy To Be Hard”. The tune appeared on Three Dog Night’s second album, Suitable For Framing, which was released in 1969.
Steve added, “It’s not only an amazing song but for me, Chuck sings the most definitive version. Please listen to this song for it’s more relevant now than ever.”
The tune’s lyrics question why some people can show no empathy to the troubles of others in the world.
Perry concluded, “Thank You Chuck for your voice and your soul.”
More About “Easy To Be Hard”
“Easy To Be Hard” is a song that was from the Tony-winning 1967 Broadway musical Hair. The tune was composed by Galt MacDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni, who created the hippie-themed production.
Lynn Kellogg, who portrayed the character of Sheila in Hair, sang “Easy To Be Hard” on the Broadway cast soundtrack album, which was released in 1968.
Three Dog Night’s cover of “Easy To Be Hard” was released as the lead single from Suitable For Framing. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
More About Chuck Negron
Negron also sang lead on many of Three Dog Night’s other major Hot 100 hits. Among them were “One” (No. 5, 1969), “Joy To The Word” (No. 1, 1971), “An Old Fashioned Love Song” (No. 4, 1971), “The Show Must Go On” (No. 4, 1974).
The band split up in 1976 but reformed in 1981. Negron, who long struggled with drug addiction, was fired from the group in 1985.
Chuck overcame his drug addiction in 1991 and launched a long solo career after that.
(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images; Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
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