DER US-AMERIKANISCHE SONGWRITER CHIP TAYLOR IST GESTORBEN

Der am 21. März 1940 in Yonkers (New York) als James Wesley Voight geborene US-amerikanische Songwriter Chip Taylor (Bild) ist am 23. März 2026 in New York City gestorben. Taylor war der jüngere Bruder des Schauspielers Jon Voight und damit Onkel von Angelina Jolie und James Haven. Nach einem wenig erfolgreichen Versuch, professioneller Golfspieler zu werden, startete Chip Taylor eine Karriere im Musikgeschäft. Er komponierte alleine oder mit anderen Komponisten wie Al Gorgoni, Billy Vera, Ted Daryll und Jerry Ragavoy Pop- und Rocksongs. Seine bekanntesten Kompositionen sind «Wild Thing», «Angel of the Morning» und «Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)». Ende der 1970er-Jahre gab Taylor das Musikgeschäft auf und wurde professioneller Glücksspieler. (*)

Songwriter Chip Taylor (James Wesley Voight) at Hill Country Live in NYC, 2012 - Foto: Sachyn Mital, https://www.flickr.com/people/sachyn/ - Lizenz: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en - Datei: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chip_Taylor.jpg

Bild: Songwriter Chip Taylor (James Wesley Voight) at Hill Country Live in NYC, 2012 – Foto: Sachyn Mital, https://www.flickr.com/people/sachyn/ – Lizenz: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en – Datei: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chip_Taylor.jpg

Chip Taylor, Writer of ‘Wild Thing’ and Other Rock Hits, Dies at 86

The brother of the actor Jon Voight, he wrote songs for Frank Sinatra, Janis Joplin, Anne Murray and, with “Angel of the Morning,” Juice Newton.

A prolific composer and songwriter over a six-decade career, Mr. Taylor wrote hits for Janis Joplin, Dusty Springfield, Frank Sinatra and others. His well-known compositions included Ms. Joplin’s “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder),” Anne Murray’s country hit “Son of a Rotten Gambler,” and “Welcome Home,” sung by the Chicago soul man Walter Jackson.

Mr. Taylor was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016, alongside Marvin Gaye and Tom Petty. During the ceremony, he performed “Wild Thing” with his grandchildren.

Hannah Ziegler

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/arts/music/chip-taylor-dead.html

Chip Taylor, Songwriter of ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Angel of the Morning,’ Dies

Chip Taylor, the songwriter best known for a pair of ’60s hit singles—”Wild Thing,” popularized by the Troggs, and “Angel of the Morning,” from singer Merrilee Rush—died Monday night, two days after he turned 86. The news was shared on March 24, by a variety of friends on Facebook, notably fellow songwriter and musician Billy Vera, who wrote, “With great sadness I must announce the passing of my old friend and songwriting mentor, Chip Taylor last night in hospice.” (…)

His many other credits include co-writing, with Al Gorgoni, “I Can’t Let Go,” a #1 U.K. hit for the Hollies in 1966, later a modest hit for Linda Ronstadt. Janis Joplin recorded Taylor’s “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)” in 1969. He recorded dozens of albums under his own name, many for his own Train Wreck Records.

Jeff Tamarkin and Greg Brodsky

https://bestclassicbands.com/chip-taylor-songwriter-obituary-wild-thing-and-angel-of-the-morning-3-24-26

Chip Taylor, ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Angel of the Morning’ Songwriter, Dead at 86

Throughout his career, Taylor released numerous albums and singles, and carved out a reputation as one of the most successful songwriters of his time. His first big hit arrived in the form of “Wild Thing,” which was first recorded in 1965 by Jordan Christopher and the Wild Ones, and later became a smash hit in 1966 by the Troggs.

A live rendition by Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, where the musician set his guitar on fire, cemented the song as part of rock mythology. “Wild Thing” would continue to be covered by the likes of the Runaways, the Muppets, and X.

“A lot of people don’t realize what a beautiful thing space is in a song. ‘Wild Thing’ still gives me the chills; when I strike the chords and you know the spirit of it. It’s a nice feeling,” Taylor told The Guardian of the song.

Charisma Madarang

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/chip-taylor-wild-thing-songwriter-dead-obituary-1235536722

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The TROGGS: Wild Thing