Chip Taylor, Writer of Wild Thing and Angel of the Morning, Dies at 86
Chip Taylor, Writer of Wild Thing and Angel of the Morning, Dies at 86
songwriter behind 'Angel of the Morning' and 'Wild Thing' passes away at 86; inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame and founder of Train Wreck Records
Chip Taylor, the influential songwriter behind iconic hits like Angel of the Morning and Wild Thing, has died at age 86. He passed away Monday while in hospice care, a family friend confirmed on social media. The news of his death brings a quiet, reflective pause to a career that shaped more than a few generations of pop and rock music. Taylor’s work transcended eras, with songs that remain recognizable to listeners old and new alike.
Taylor was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, cementing his place among the industry’s most enduring voices. Beyond the immortal hooks of Angel of the Morning and Wild Thing, he also wrote He Sits at Your Table and I Can’t Let Go, among other tracks that captured listeners’ imaginations and earned steady airtime on radio and in living rooms around the world. His talent lay not only in crafting catchy melodies but in coloring them with feeling that could swing from tender to raw with equal ease.
In 1997, Taylor founded Train Wreck Records, a label that reflected his independent spirit and his willingness to champion artists on the fringes of mainstream visibility. Over the years, the label became another avenue for his music to reach audiences who might not have found it through traditional channels, extending the reach of songs that had already made their mark decades earlier.
Music colleagues and fans remembered Taylor for a career that didn’t just produce famous tunes but also inspired a sense of craft and perseverance. The legacy of his songwriting—signature lines that could spark a chorus in a moment—continues to echo through studios, concert venues, and playlists around the world. While the specifics of his passing are, for now, a private matter for his family, the impact of his work remains very public and very alive. Those who grew up singing along to Angel of the Morning or dancing to Wild Thing will likely find themselves revisiting those recordings and reconnecting with the sense of possibility his songs offered.
As the music community reflects on this loss, Taylor’s catalog stands as a testament to a life dedicated to weaving stories into melodies that endure well beyond their initial release.
