Songwriter Chip Taylor Passes Away

0:00Songwriter Chip Taylor, best known for penning the tribe's number one hit, Wild Thing, has passed away at age 86. He died Monday in hospice care. Taylor was also the uncle of actress Angelina Jolie, and brother to actor John Voit, born James Wesley Voit, back in 1940 in Yonkers, New York. Early on, Taylor built a strong music career as a teen guitarist and songwriter. His work caught the eye of country star Chad Atkins, leading to tunes in that scene. He shared a New York songwriting hub with big names, like Carol King, before striking gold with Wild Thing in 1966, a raw garage rock. Smash that shaped the genre's grittier sound. That track exploded further, with Jimmy Hendrix's fiery Monterey pop performance the next year. Taylor also crafted Angel the morning, a hit for artists like Juice Newton, plus songs covered by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Linda Ronstadt, and Johnis Joplin. Fans and musicians remember him for blending innocence with edge, always outside his famous family spotlight.

1:04In the 1980s, Taylor shifted to professional gambling in Atlantic City. He bounced back in the 2000s partnering with fiddle player Carrie Rodriguez on acclaimed alt-country records. His 2012 single appeared in the Netflix show Sex Education, inspired by gigs for prison audiences he held dear. Taylor's last album, The Truth and Other Things, came out this year. He leaves behind children and grandchildren. His wife Joan passed earlier in 2025. His songs keep echoing through rock history. This has been Vancouver News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with The Story.