Chip Taylor, Acclaimed Songwriter and Americana Artist, Dies at 85
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Chip Taylor, the songwriter behind some of the most enduring tracks of the 1960s, died on March 23, closing the book on a career that moved easily between chart success, cult rediscovery, and late-life reinvention.
Born James Wesley Voight on March 21, 1940, Taylor built his reputation not as a frontman, but as a writer with a knack for songs that traveled. His most famous composition, “Wild Thing,” became a defining hit for the Troggs in 1966, its raw simplicity helping to shape garage rock. That same year, he wrote “Angel of the Morning,” later recorded by Merrilee Rush and revived decades later by artists across genres, from country to pop.
Taylor’s songs had a way of finding new life. “Wild Thing” would be reinterpreted by Jimi Hendrix in a now-legendary performance at Monterey, while “Angel of the Morning” became a standard that never quite left the radio, most famously by Juice Newton. His writing carried a directness that made it adaptable, whether filtered through rock grit or polished pop.
Though he found success early, Taylor stepped away from the music business in the 1970s, turning instead to professional gambling. It was an unexpected pivot, but one that mirrored his restless nature. When he returned to music decades later, it was on his own terms, leaning into a more reflective, roots-oriented sound that aligned with the Americana movement.
In his later years, Taylor recorded a steady run of albums, often collaborating with Carrie Rodriguez. The work didn’t chase past glories. Instead, it felt lived-in, grounded in storytelling and a quieter sense of purpose, the kind of second act few songwriters manage to pull off.
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Reg Presley was the front man for legendary British garage band, the Troggs. Their biggest hit came with their 1966 cover of Chip Taylor’s “Wild Thing” which reached #1 on the Billboard singles chart that year. Their version came in at #257 on Rolling Stone‘s list of The Top 500 Songs of All Time. Their follow-up single, “With A Girl Like You” was nearly as popular in the UK, but failed to ignite in the US. Their three most popular singles, the two listed above along with “Love Is All Around,” sold over a million copies each. Besides the impact their “Wild Thing” continues to have on rock music to this day, the band itself can take at least partial credit for influencing the birth of punk and garage rock. As a songwriter, Presley’s biggest hit was “Love Is All Around,” which was another big hit in the UK, but barely cracked the Top 100 in the US. It did however, enjoy a new life when Wet Wet Wet topped the UK charts with it in 1994. At over 1.8 million copies sold at the time, it was the tenth biggest selling single in England. Th royalties Presley enjoyed from its sales went to fund his research on crop circles on which he wrote the 2002 book, Wild Things They Don’t Tell Us. Presley continued to tour with the Troggs up until his retirement in 2012 due to health concerns. Reg Presley was 71 when he died of cancer and a series of strokes on February 4, 2013. Troggs founding drummer, 
