Floyd Sneed
Encyclopedia
Floyd Sneed is a black Canadian
drummer
, best known for his work with the band
Three Dog Night
.
Sneed grew up in a musical family (his parents were both musician
s at their church), and he became interested in drum
s at an early age. His first drum kit
was a gift from his older sister
Maxine, who at the time was married
to the musician-actor
Tommy Chong
, and Floyd soon began performing in the Vancouver
area as part of Chong's band, "Little Daddy and the Bachelors."
In 1966 Sneed formed his own band and moved to Los Angeles, California
. In 1968 he met a trio of vocalists (Danny Hutton
, Chuck Negron
, and Cory Wells
) who had a contract with Dunhill Records
and were looking for backing musicians. Sneed joined their new band, "Three Dog Night," which became a huge commercial success in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After "Three Dog Night" broke up in 1977, Sneed continued to work with other groups, including an extended tour with The Ohio Players. He and other backing musicians from "Three Dog Night" also worked together in a short-lived group named, "SS Fools." He reappeared briefly with the reincarnated "Three Dog Night" in the mid-1980s. In 1990, Sneed had a minor role playing a drummer in a Chong film, "Far Out Man
." In 2002, Sneed toured and recorded with the band, "K.A.T.T.," and has formed his own band called, "Same Dog New Tricks."
Sneed and original Three Dog Night bassist Joe Schermie appeared on the cooking show Food Rules in 2000. This was Schermie's last television appearance.
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, best known for his work with the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
.
Sneed grew up in a musical family (his parents were both musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s at their church), and he became interested in drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s at an early age. His first drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
was a gift from his older sister
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
Maxine, who at the time was married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to the musician-actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Tommy Chong
Tommy Chong
Tommy Chong is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, writer, director, activist, and musician who is well known for his stereotypical portrayals of hippie-era stoners...
, and Floyd soon began performing in the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
area as part of Chong's band, "Little Daddy and the Bachelors."
In 1966 Sneed formed his own band and moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. In 1968 he met a trio of vocalists (Danny Hutton
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton , is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band, Three Dog Night. Hutton was the head of Hanna Barbera Records from 1965-1966...
, Chuck Negron
Chuck Negron
Charles "Chuck" Negron is an American singer-songwriter, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night, which he helped to form in 1968.-Biography:...
, and Cory Wells
Cory Wells
Cory Wells is an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.-Life and career:...
) who had a contract with Dunhill Records
Dunhill Records
Dunhill Records was started by Lou Adler, Al Bennett, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts in 1964 as Dunhill Productions, originally for the purpose of releasing Johnny Rivers recordings on Imperial Records. It became a record label in 1965 and was distributed by ABC Records...
and were looking for backing musicians. Sneed joined their new band, "Three Dog Night," which became a huge commercial success in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After "Three Dog Night" broke up in 1977, Sneed continued to work with other groups, including an extended tour with The Ohio Players. He and other backing musicians from "Three Dog Night" also worked together in a short-lived group named, "SS Fools." He reappeared briefly with the reincarnated "Three Dog Night" in the mid-1980s. In 1990, Sneed had a minor role playing a drummer in a Chong film, "Far Out Man
Far Out Man
Far Out Man was a 1990 comedy film written, directed by and starring Tommy Chong. It was filmed in Los Angeles, California, USA. Cinetel Films produced the movie and it was distributed in USA theaters by New Line Cinema, Sony Video , Platinum Disc , and RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video...
." In 2002, Sneed toured and recorded with the band, "K.A.T.T.," and has formed his own band called, "Same Dog New Tricks."
Sneed and original Three Dog Night bassist Joe Schermie appeared on the cooking show Food Rules in 2000. This was Schermie's last television appearance.