Chip Taylor, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, best known for penning classics like ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Angel of the Morning’, has sadly passed away at the age of 86.Taylor, born James Wesley Voight, reportedly passed away on Monday night in hospice. An official statement by his children, Kristian and Kelly, confirmed the report. Announcing the news in a social media post, his children wrote, “Hi all – we are sad to tell you that Chip passed away last night. His last days were peaceful. Chip loved the amazing blessing it was to connect with people through music and truly appreciated this community. He considered you all friends. We will miss him greatly.”Taylor is survived by his two children and five grandchildren, with whom he recorded the 2011 track ‘Kids to Save the Planet’. His wife of over 60 years, Joan Carole Frey, passed away last year.Born on March 21, 1940, Taylor, was the brother of Hollywood star Jon Voight and uncle to Angelina Jolie. He initially pursued professional golf like his father before shifting to music. He went on to sign with April Blackwood, and his songwriting legacy includes ‘Wild Thing’, famously recorded by The Troggs in 1966 and later also notably performed by Jimi Hendrix. His other major hit included ‘Angel of the Morning’, recorded by Evie Sands in 1967, has since been covered by several artists, including Dusty Springfield and Olivia Newton-John.Over his career, Taylor also wrote songs for music legends such as Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Linda Ronstadt and Tina Turner. He was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019.
