Chip Taylor started his career as a songwriter in the 60s. He is best known as the composer of “Wild Thing” and “Angel Of The Night” but has written songs for the likes of Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt, The Hollies, Johnny Tillotson, Jackie DeShannon, amongst many others. He is the brother of the actor Jon Voight, and uncle to Angelina Jolie.
In the early 70s, Taylor released three albums each for the labels Buddha and Warner Bros before releasing this album, “Somebody Shoot Out The Jukebox” for CBS in 1976. The album didn’t do terribly well, so Taylor gave up the music business to become a professional gambler, playing blackjack in New Jersey casinos and betting on horse races. By his own admission, for a period of 15 years he was very successful but returned to music in 1993 after singing to his dying mother, Barbara.
He started releasing solo albums again in the late 90s, and recorded and performed Americana music with violinist Carrie Rodriguez for several years. Their albums “The Trouble With Humans” (2003) and Red Dog Tracks (2005) were both critically acclaimed, followed by Taylor's solo album “Unglorious Hallelujah” in 2006, hailed as a “future classic” by Sonic magazine.
Taylor continued to perform with his band The New Ukrainians (John Platania on electric guitar, Björn Petterson on bass, and a revolving cast of other musicians) through to 2020. Each concert almost always included both "Wild Thing" and "Angel in the Morning".
Taylor received treatment for throat cancer in 2023 and passed away at a hospital in New York in March 2026, two days after his 86th birthday.
TRACKS
1. Peter Walker’s Circus
2. Three Younger Bandits
3. Hello Atlanta
4. Farmer’s Daughter
5. Nothin’ Like You Girl
6. Somebody Shoot Out the Jukebox
7. The Gambler
8. Still My Son
9. I’d Like To Be That Man
10. Dads’ Club Sizzlers