Chip Taylor, Songwriter Behind ‘Wild Thing’ & ‘Angel of the Morning,’ Dies at 86

Chip Taylor, the hitmaking songwriter behind “Wild Thing” and “Angel of the Morning,” has died at age 86, his record label Train Wreck Records announced Tuesday (March 24).

No cause of death has been reported.

“Known for songs that captured the emotion and spirit of the times, Chip created a catalog over a six decade career that included works for a diverse range of artists including Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Linda Ronstadt, Shaggy, and Tina Turner,” an obituary posted by Train Wreck read in part.

Born James Wesley Voight in Yonkers, New York, in 1940, Taylor was the youngest of three sons, including his older brother, actor Jon Voight. Taylor originally followed in the footsteps of his professional golfer dad Elmer, playing golf in college in South Carolina, before returning to New York and adopting his stage name to become a singer/songwriter.

His earliest success came with “Wild Thing,” which was a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 three times: first as a No. 1 hit in 1966 by The Troggs; then as a comedy recording by Senator Bobby featuring Bill Minkin (No. 20 in 1967); and finally Fancy (No. 14 in 1974). It was also famously covered by the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

Another Taylor success story was “Angel of the Morning,” a top 10 hit on the Hot 100 twice by two different artists: first by Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts (No. 7 in 1968) and then by Juice Newton (No. 4 in 1981). It was a top 40 hit twice on the Hot Country Songs chart as well, thanks to versions by Connie (No. 34 in 1970) and Newton (No. 22 in 1981).

“Angel of the Morning” was also interpolated in Shaggy’s 2001 No. 1 Hot 100 hit “Angel,” featuring Rayvon.

In 2016, Taylor was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. During an interview with Billboard that year, he offered insight into his songwriting process. “I knew right then when I was writing ‘Wild Thing,’ just like with ‘Angel of the Morning’ and the interlude, that I wanted to reflect,” he recalled. “I wanted to stop and say something to this girl. I wanted to say, ‘Wild Thing I think I love you, but I want to know for sure. So come on and hold me tight.’ And then the silence. The silence in ‘Wild Thing’ is the most important thing.”

Taylor was also a prolific performer, releasing more than 30 albums in his lifetime, starting in 1971 and extending through last year.

Taylor’s middle school sweetheart-turned-wife Joan Voight died in June of last year. The couple is survived by their two children, Kristian and Kelly, and five grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Metropolitan Golf Association Caddie Scholarship Fund, a charity important to Taylor and his dad.