Chip Taylor, the Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter behind iconic hits like ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Angel of the Morning,’ has died at the age of 86. Taylor, born James Wesley Voight, was the brother of Jon Voight and uncle of Angelina Jolie. His children, Kris and Kelly, announced his passing, saying his final days were peaceful and that he cherished connecting with people through his music.
Born on March 21, 1940, in Yonkers, New York, Taylor initially pursued professional golf like his father before returning to New York City to follow a music career. He wrote songs that became classics, including ‘Wild Thing,’ recorded by The Troggs in 1966 and later covered by Jimi Hendrix and The Runaways, and ‘Angel of the Morning,’ first recorded by Evie Sands and later covered by artists such as Dusty Springfield and Olivia Newton-John. Over his career, Taylor also wrote for Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Linda Ronstadt, and Tina Turner. He released numerous solo and group albums and founded his independent label, Train Wreck Records, in 2007.
Taylor is survived by his children, Kristian and Kelly, and five grandchildren, with whom he recorded the 2011 song ‘Kids to Save the Planet.’ His wife of more than 60 years, Joan Carole Frey, passed away last year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Metropolitan Golf Association Caddie Scholarship Fund.
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