Chip Taylor Dead at 82: ‘Wild Thing’ Hitmaker, Jon Voight’s Brother

Chip Taylor, the famous songwriter who wrote classic songs like “Wild Thing” and “Angel of the Morning,” died at the age of 82 on March 25, 2026. Fans all over the world are shocked by the news of Chip Taylor’s death. He was a folk rock legend. He was also the brother of Oscar winner Jon Voight.

According to a statement from his family that was sent to The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor died at home in Massachusetts on March 24, surrounded by family, after a fight with cancer. The family said, “Chip Taylor’s obituary confirms that he fought bravely,” which shows how important he was to music history.

James Wesley Voigt was born on January 21, 1944, in Yonkers, New York. In the 1960s, Chip Taylor became famous as a hitmaker for rock and pop stars. “Wild Thing,” the raw garage rock anthem that The Troggs had a hit with in 1966, was his big break. The song’s rough energy defined a generation. Today there are a lot of searches for “Wild Thing songwriter dies.”

In 1968, Taylor’s genius shone through again with “Angel of the Morning,” a haunting ballad that Merrilee Rush first recorded. Later, Juice Newton and Olivia Newton-John covered the song. People are looking into Chip Taylor’s death. At the same time, they are remembering these classics that sold and streamed millions of times.

Taylor wrote more than 300 songs over the course of decades, working with everyone from Dusty Springfield to The Rhinestones. He later changed his style to that of a solo folk artist. He released well-received albums like Little Brothers (2006) and toured Europe a lot.

Taylor was the younger brother of actor Jon Voight, who starred in “Midnight Cowboy” and is the father of Angelina Jolie. He connected the worlds of music and Hollywood. The Voight siblings were very close. When Jon Voight’s brother died, many celebrities wrote heartfelt posts about it. Voight said in a family statement, “He was my wild thing,” which showed how close they were for life.

Margaret, Taylor’s wife of 50 years, four children, and grandchildren are still alive. Plans for the memorial are still private.