Three Dog Night at Symphony Hall March 3. Photos by Jill Fisher.

“Ladies and gentlemen, from Los Angeles, California, Three Dog Night!” Such was the opening of the concert at Symphony Hall at the DECC on Sunday evening, March 3. The musical lead-in to this announcement sounded more like the Moody Blues than the headlining band, but whatever, the band is currently touring with seven musicians. It was initially scheduled to play here last October but had to be postponed due to medical issues.

Since I was a fan in my younger years and actually have their second album, Suitable for Framing, I decided I should check them out—see if they’re still rockin’ or in rocking chairs.  

I had fairly low expectations about this concert after my disappointment with the Doobie Brothers at Amsoil Arena but I was interested in hearing what a rock band sounded like in the Symphony Hall venue, since I hadn’t been there for more than 30 years and then at a symphony concert. It didn’t take long to realize that this 2,000-plus seat auditorium seems to be the perfect fit for nationally known rock groups (when the West Theatre isn’t large enough). The sound was great and I appreciated the relatively low-key visual effects used (no flashing lights, just colored lighting and smoke effects).  

So my first question was how many of the musicians that make up the Three Dog Night I saw in concert have been with the band from the beginning? Like the title of their first gold record, “One,” it’s founding member and lead vocalist Danny Hutton. He’s Irish by birth but was raised from early childhood in the U.S. A long-time resident of the famous Laurel Canyon, Hutton was responsible for bringing the trio of singers together that formed the nucleus of TDN (himself plus Cory Wells and Chuck Negron).

A backup band was added to create what was the hit-making group, which debuted in 1968 at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go in L.A. TDN’s first eponymously named album produced three hits, among them “One” which reached number 5 on Billboard’s top 100 hits in 1969. That single was composed and previously recorded by Harry Nilsson; Chuck Negron was the lead vocalist on the record, Hutton sang lead at this concert.

According to my online research, in the years 1969 through 1974 no other group achieved more top 10 hits, moved more records or sold more concert tickets than TDN. It’s odd that the band has not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  

Three Dog Night disbanded in 1977 but by 1981 the group had reformed with Hutton, Wells and Negron along with new backup band members. Negron was fired in 1985 due to his drug addiction. More than 20 musicians joined and left TDN through the intervening years. (I am more understanding of this phenomenon now that I’ve witnessed how interchangeable our local musicians are between various and multiple bands.)

The band members for this concert included Paul Kingery (bass) who has played with the band off and on since 1996 (he would periodically fill in for absent members). Danny’s son, Timothy Hutton (electric guitar), joined in 2012 while David Morgan (vocals and guitar) became a member in 2015 replacing Wells who died that year. Howard Laravea (keyboards) joined in 2017. Danny’s son Dash Hutton played drums, replacing Pat Bautz who joined in 1993 but retired just last year. Dylan Wiley of Indianapolis filled in for Danny on acoustic guitar since his arm was in a sling.  

Yes, TDN’s playlist was pretty much all hits beginning with “The Family Of Man” written by Jack Conrad and Paul Williams and released in 1971. In its heyday, Hutton informed the audience, the band had 21 consecutive hits on the top 100 Billboard charts. Call it a cover band if you like, since virtually all the hits had been both written and previously recorded by others.

I was thinking that Hutton’s voice sounded a little old and worse for wear on this first number but by the second song “Black and White” (written by Pete Seeger) the nice harmonies that characterize the band were evident. When they broke into “Shambala” their voices were really warming up and the audience seemed to appreciate hearing those songs the lyrics of which they knew by heart.  

Early in the concert I noticed that David Morgan was moving about the stage like Frankenstein. When he told of having had hip replacement surgery late last year (probably why they postponed their October concert) his ungainly perambulations made sense. He rested on a high stool during some songs. Hutton and Morgan were both chatty between numbers, sharing some amusing experiences with getting old (Hutton is 81). The audience could definitely relate!

The other “cover” songs performed were: “Never Been To Spain” (by Hoyt Axton), “Shambala” (Daniel Joseph Moore) Night In the City (not billboard hit but written by Joni Mitchell), “Easy To Be Hard” (from the Broadway musical Hair), “Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)” written by Allen Toussaint, “Let Me Serenade You” (John Finley), An Old Fashioned Love Song” (Paul Williams), “Liar”(Russ Ballard), “Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” (Randy Newman), ending with “Celebrate” (Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon). For encores they performed “Eli’s Coming” (Laura Nyro), an eerie instrumental, then a more recent recording, “Prayer of the Children” (Kurt Bestor) done acapella with gorgeous harmonies and an organ interlude.

Finally they wrapped it up with Hoyt Axton’s “Joy To the World,” a number one hit for them in 1971. So did I enjoy the concert? I sure did. These guys were the real deal—professional, engaging and fun. Perhaps they weren’t as energetic as younger bands, but their performance was heartfelt and sincere.

And really, a bit of musical nostalgia isn’t all bad. I intend to check out the band’s latest album to be released this spring.  

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the opening act for Three Dog Night. It was singer-songwriter Chris Trapper from Buffalo, New York, who was quite the funny guy (he made me think of the Borscht Belt comedians). Trapper played acoustic guitar and at one point a kazoo! He was classy looking in his white shirt, bow tie, sparkly jacket and tight black pants. Though I didn’t know any of the songs he performed, he was enjoyable enough and received warm applause as he left the stage to the other out-of-towners.  

The High 48s

Thursday, March 7, found me at the West Theatre to take in a show by the bluegrass group, The High 48s, which are based in the Twin Cities. I wrote about this band last summer (June 8 Reader issue) when they backed up Becky Schlegel at Sacred Heart Music Center. I was impressed with the band enough then to purchase its Great Northern Railroad CD released in 2014 that has a train theme running through nearly all of the tracks. I have been enjoying listening to it once again after this most recent concert as well as the band’s latest album, Crocodile Man which I purchased.

There has been some shuffling of band members since 2019; the current members are Anthony Ihrig (banjo), Clint Birtzer (guitar), Eric Christopher (fiddle), David Robinson, (mandolin, guitar) and Rich Casey (standup bass). All except Casey are vocalists.  

The advertisement for this show billed it as “hard grass.” To me that suggested something other than the straight up blue grass this band performed. As it was explained, it meant traditional blue grass, while they suggested the term “medium bluegrass” for some original material, one being “Abigail Mitchell,” written by Christopher and named for a favorite villain on the TV show, Columbo! It was a lively instrumental in which there were amazing runs with banjo, guitar and mandolin playing in unison.  

Beginning with the title track of the 2023 album, “Crocodile Man” (by David Robert Carter), The High 48s showcased their excellent musicianship and wonderful harmonies. Among my favorite tunes this evening were the covers of “Bankrobber” (The Clash), “Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone” (John Prine), “Long Time Gone” (Lefty Frizzell, recorded by the Everly Brothers) and “Sawmill Town” (Arthur Stevenson). The “Old Old House” (Hal Byrum and George Jones) was notable for Birtzer’s old timey tenor vocals that brought home that true bluegrass feeling.

An upbeat, perky instrumental (Bill Monroe’s “Foggy Morning in Morehead”) featured Robinson’s superior mandolin playing. The original tunes were great too. “If You Wanted To” by Ihrig was a heartbreaker of a song while his “Over the Clover” was a really pretty banjo tune. Casey’s bass playing was highlighted on the original “Just Walk Away.”

The 48s wrapped up their second set with the traditional fiddle tune “Cluck Old Hen” and the Stanley Brother’s song “Rocky Island.” The encore “Just a Few Old Memories” was very nice if sad song about faded love.  

Monthly blues jam

Happy days are here again for blues lovers. I learned about the startup of a weekly blues jam on Wednesdays from 5 to 8 pm at the Flame Night Club. I checked out the inaugural jam on March 6 and was pleasantly surprised by the good blues tunes I heard. Mel Sando was there as was Darryl Scott and members of his band.

Then on Sunday, March 10, I made it down to R.T. Quinlan’s for the first of monthly blues jams there. It was fabulous with Sando (guitar), Dave Prudhomme (bass) and Glen Thomas (drums) providing backup for other musicians who are welcome to join in. On this occasion, Marc “Franco” Levitt played harmonica on quite a few numbers, and Pat Eliason also had a turn with his harmonica on several songs. Shane Nelson joined in toward the end of the evening and proved once again what an accomplished and versatile musician he is. A couple others also participated. Hopefully some young musicians will join the jam at its next gig on Sunday, April 14.  

Upcoming: There’ll be lots of great music this weekend with St. Patrick Day falling on Sunday. Teague Alexy and the Paddy Wagon will kick off the celebrations on Friday evening at Caddy Shack in Lincoln Park. On Saturday there’s a St. Paddy’s Day Party with the Centerville All Stars at Kom-on-Inn in West Duluth and Willowgreen graces the Sacred Heart Music Center on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm. Hope to join you for all the fun!