Video Interview: Chip Taylor on “The Truth and Other Things”

How the legendary King Records took a chance on a young New York-based country songwriter.

While he may be the brother of Jon Voight and the uncle of Angelina Jolie, Chip Taylor has managed to carve out a career that has lasted more than 60 years as a songwriter and singer-songwriter, a career that has managed to bring its own levels of respect from fellow artists and songwriters, ranging from John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Wille Nelson to name only a few. He managed to record some of his country compositions on the legendary King Records in the late ‘50s Americana, before writing two modern-day classics, “Wild Thing’ and ‘Angel of the Morning’. Americana UK’s Martin Johnson caught up with Chip Taylor at his home in New York over Zoom to discuss his new album, ‘”The Truth and Other Things”, which follows the pattern of 2014’s “Little Prayers Trilogy”, and includes two further albums “Book Of Elmer” and “Chuck Flood”. He beams with pride when he talks about his band which includes John Platania who played with Van Morrison, Tony Leone from Ollabella and Chris Robinson’s Brotherhood, Goran Grini, Tony Mercadante, and a guest slot from pedal and lap steel guitar wizz, Gary Leisz on some numbers. Chip also talks about his cancer and how it has impacted his music. Chip explains how he left his music career for a few years in the ‘80s to become a professional gambler.

Chip Taylor’s “The Truth and Other Things” is out now on Train Wreck Records.