Chip Taylor
Chip Taylor is an American songwriter, noted for writing "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing". His songs have been covered, and often made into hits, by a wide range of artists, including The Troggs, Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts, P.P. Arnold, Janis Joplin, Juice Newton, Anne Murray, Ace Frehley, Jimi Hendrix, Chrissie Hynde, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris.
Early life
Chip Taylor was born, March 21, 1940, in Yonkers, New York, U.S.A.He is the brother of actor Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight and the uncle of actress Angelina Jolie and actor James Haven. Taylor attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York. In 1961, Taylor attended the University of Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut, for one year.
After an unsuccessful attempt to become a professional golfer, Taylor entered the music business, writing pop and rock songs, both alone and with other songwriters, including Al Gorgoni, Billy Vera, Ted Daryll and Jerry Ragovoy.
Career
As "tune tailor"
Taylor's first big hit was "Wild Thing", which, though originally recorded in 1965 by Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones, became famous as both a 1966 hit single for the Troggs and a 1967 live performance by Jimi Hendrix, and was later covered by the Runaways and the Muppets. His second most recognizable song, "Angel of the Morning", was originally recorded by Evie Sands in 1967, before becoming a hit for Merrilee Rush and also P.P. Arnold in 1968, then a million-selling single in 1981 for country-pop singer Juice Newton; later a rendition from Chrissie Hynde was released. Other notable pop and country songs written by Taylor include "He Sits at Your Table", "I Can't Let Go", "The Baby", "Worry", "Make Me Belong to You", "I Can Make It With You", "Any Way That You Want Me" "Step Out of Your Mind", "Country Girl City Man", "I'll Hold Out My Hand", "Try ", "Julie", "Lonely Is As Lonely Does", "Sweet Dream Woman", "A Little Bit Later On Down the Line", "Rock Soldiers", and "Son of a Rotten Gambler".In 2009, Ace Records released a compilation CD of some of Taylor's compositions as recorded by other artists.
On his own
Taylor's first releases were on the King label and their subsidiary DeLuxe. In 1958 Wes Voight and the Town Three released two 45s on DeLuxe, numbers 6176 "Midnight Blues" and 6180 "I Want A Lover". In 1959 he recorded for King as Wes Voight on 5211 "I'm Loving It", and his final recording as Wes Voight on King 5231 "I'm Ready to Go Steady" and "The Wind and the Cold Black Night". The two King 45s were released in both mono and stereo, making them some of the first stereo singles available. Taylor has released recordings on Warner Bros., Columbia, and Capitol. His first chart single was his recording of "Here I Am" in 1962 on Warner Bros. Records. He also had a top 40 hit in Australia in 1963 with "Sandy Sandy" with the Town and Country Brothers, a later iteration of Wes Voight and the Town Three, with Ted Daryll and Greg Richards, writers of "She Cried" by Jay and the Americans.Performing
Taylor restarted his performing and recording career in 1993. At a South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas in 2001, Chip met singer and violinist Carrie Rodriguez, with whom he performed and recorded Americana music for several years. The duo recorded Let's Leave This Town in 2002. They released The Trouble With Humans the following year and the critically acclaimed Red Dog Tracks in 2005. Each has since released successful solo albums. Taylor's double-CD Unglorious Hallelujah/Red Red Rose, his first solo album in five years, was quickly hailed as "a future classic" by Sonic Magazine, whose reviewer declared: "This is the best we've heard from Chip Taylor so far." Rodriguez's solo album, Seven Angels on a Bicycle, was released in August 2006. In late 2006 and early 2007, Rodriguez toured on her own but continued to perform with Taylor from time to time.Taylor has performed with alt-country singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks, playing bass for Fulks's January 2004 date at Double Door in Chicago. Taylor has done a series of shows with guitarist John Platania and the young singer/fiddler Kendel Carson, and he produced both their 2007 albums.
Shaggy used "Angel of the Morning" as the basis for his hit "Angel" in 2001.
Chip Taylor's album Yonkers, NY was a 2011 nominee for a Grammy Award for best recording package, but lost to Brothers by the Black Keys.
Train Wreck records
In 2007, Taylor launched his own independent label, Train Wreck Records.Discography
Albums
Compilations
| Year | Album | Label |
| 2008 | Angels & Gamblers: Best of 1971–1979 | Raven Records |
| 2010 | James Wesley Days Best of 99–10 | Rootsy / Train Wreck |