It’s hard to imagine that it’s been almost half a century since the rock band Three Dog Night formed and took over the top 10.
The group has toured off and on since 1969 and, lucky for West Texas, they are scheduled in concert at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center.
The group, according to their press information and website, is celebrating nearly five decades and claims some astonishing statistics in popular music. In the years 1969 through 1974, no other group achieved more top 10 hits, moved more records or sold more concert tickets than Three Dog Night.
Their hits are familiar to generations of fans with “Joy to the World” and “Shambala” and “One.”
Their music continues on the radio, in movies and even on commercials.
Songs like “Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” and “Black and White” also continue popular play on radio and TV.
The Grammy-nominated band, their website at threedognight.com, details, continues to work to expand its audience and embrace 21st century music technology. New and existing fans buy Three Dog Night’s music on iTunes as well as at record stores. In fact, releases from this decade alone have sold more than a million copies.
More recently, Three Dog Night added new songs by releasing its first double-A sided single in nearly 25 years. “Heart Of Blues” and the a-cappella ballad “Prayer of the Children” are available online at iTunes, Amazon.com and other digital retailers as well as through the official band website (www.threedognight.com).
They have also recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. Three Dog Night maintains a year-round touring schedule of more than 70 dates a year. The group includes Danny Hutton (founder/lead vocalist) and Michael Allsup (guitar), Paul Kingery (bass/vocals), Pat Bautz (drums), Howard Laravea (keyboards) and David Morgan (vocals). The band’s now-famous name refers to native Australian hunters in the outback who huddled with their dogs for warmth on cold nights; the coldest being a “three dog night.”
Three Dog Night had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including 3 No. 1 singles, 11 Top 10’s, 18 straight Top 20’s, 7 million-selling singles and 12 straight RIAA Certified Gold LPs. The hits appeared on best selling charts in all genres (pop, rock and country). Its records continue to sell around the world, reaching beyond the borders of the U.S. into Japan, Canada, Holland, England, Germany, Spain and elsewhere. Tens of millions of Three Dog Night records have been sold through the years.
Since 1986, the band has performed more than 2,200 shows including two Super Bowls.
In August of 2018, Allsup told Vintage Guitar that he relies on Fender and Gibson guitars for his sound. Allsup left the band in 75 but returned in 1981. He said he enjoys the touring.
“People want to hear the hits so we give it to them. Every song in our set was a hit,” Allsup said. Read the entire story on Allsup and his guitars at tinyurl.com/yyx2czpf.
