Tributes for songwriter Chip Taylor continued to pour in a week after his death on March 23 at age 86. [1] Born James Wesley Voight -- younger brother of actor Jon Voight and uncle to Angelina Jolie -- Taylor wrote two of the most recognizable songs in rock history before reinventing himself as one of Americana music's most respected artists.

"Wild Thing," recorded by the Troggs in 1966, became a garage rock anthem and one of the most covered songs ever written. "Angel of the Morning," first recorded by Merrilee Rush and later a hit for Juice Newton, demonstrated Taylor's range as a balladeer. Both songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

But tributes this week have emphasized that reducing Taylor to two songs misses the point. Rolling Stone's obituary noted his "prolific" six-decade career. The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival posted a remembrance highlighting his late-career Americana work, particularly his collaborations with Norwegian singer Carrie Rodriguez.

Taylor's daughter Kelly confirmed he died in a hospital from cancer. His longtime friend Billy Vera first reported the death on social media. Variety noted that Taylor also had a successful career as a professional gambler before returning to music in the 1990s.

The New York Times obituary described Taylor as a "study in reinvention" who walked away from Nashville at the height of his success, spent years at the blackjack tables, then returned to make some of the most critically acclaimed folk recordings of the 2000s.

His label, Train Wreck Records, said services would be private.

-- CAMILLE BEAUMONT, New York