Chip Taylor, songwriter behind Wild Thing and Angel of the Morning, dies at 86 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 Jo...