Dawn Eden Goldstein on Chip Taylor's Faith Life

"It's dangerous to call a performer a national treasure, for too often the term is used to imply something precious that should be taken out and displayed only on special occasions. So I won't call Chip Taylor a national treasure, if only because, after more than 50 years as a singer and hit songwriter, he continues to make vital music, the kind that can change your life.

"If Taylor's only claim to fame were composing "Wild Thing," the Troggs smash hit with power chords that became a showcase for Jimi Hendrix's pyrotechnics and, ultimately, the foundation of punk rock, his place in music history would be assured.

"But his name is also on country hits, such as the oft-recorded "Son of a Rotten Gambler," soul classics such as "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" (best known in Janis Joplin's version) and pop gems such as "Angel of the Morning" (a hit for both Merrilee Rush and Juice Newton).

"What's more, during the 1990s, when many hit songwriters of his generation were living off royalty checks and penning commercial jingles, Taylor entered into the most productive phase of his professional life."

In a recent interview, writer Dawn Eden Goldstein, assistant professor of dogmatic theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary, spoke with Chip Taylor about his (Catholic) faith life and and his music.

To access her complete article, please visit:

Angelus News: Songwriter Chip Taylor opens up about music, faith and family (10 JUL 18)