Chip Taylor, Dash Crofts, Christopher North, and James Tolken Die

These 4 guys were a songwriter and singer noted for writing “Angel of the Morning” and “Wild Thing”; a musician, one half of Seals & Croft; a keyboardist and founding member of Ambrosia; and a character actor best known for Top Gun and Back to the Future.

Chip Taylor, born James Wesley Voight on March 21, 1940 in Yonkers, New York, was raised in a creative and ambitious family alongside his brother, actor Jon Voight, and developed an early interest in music that led him away from conventional higher education and into the fertile songwriting environment of New York’s Brill Building, where he emerged in the 1960s as a prolific

and intuitive writer whose compositions captured both raw energy and emotional vulnerability, most notably “Wild Thing,” a defining hit for The Troggs, and “Angel of the Morning,” later recorded by numerous artists including Juice Newton, establishing Taylor as a songwriter of remarkable range and durability.

After stepping back from the industry in the 1970s to pursue professional gambling, he returned to music decades later with a critically acclaimed second act in Americana and country, collaborating extensively with Carrie Rodriguez and releasing a series of reflective, roots-oriented albums that earned him widespread respect and

culminated in honors including induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, while his personal life remained grounded in family and long-term relationships; he died on Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026, at the age of 86, and was survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and extended family including his brother Jon Voight.

Dash Crofts, born Darrell George Crofts on August 14, 1938 in Cisco, Texas, grew up in a musically inclined family and displayed early aptitude on drums and other instruments, performing in local groups before meeting Jim Seals and forming a partnership that evolved into the soft rock

duo Seals and Crofts, whose smooth harmonies and introspective songwriting became emblematic of the early 1970s California sound, producing major hits such as “Summer Breeze” and “Diamond Girl” that blended pop accessibility with spiritual overtones influenced by Crofts’ adherence to the Baháʼí Faith.

His career included extensive touring, recording, and periodic hiatuses as musical tastes shifted, followed by reunions and continued performances that sustained a loyal fan base, while his personal life centered on his marriage and children and reflected his deeply held spiritual values.

Crofts received industry recognition for his contributions to popular music and remained a respected figure among peers and fans alike, and he died on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at the age of 87, survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and longtime musical associates.

Christopher North, born in 1951 in California, showed early promise as a musician and pursued formal study of keyboards and composition, developing a sophisticated style that would become central to the sound of the band Ambrosia, which he co-founded in the early 1970s and helped guide to commercial and critical success

with a blend of progressive rock, pop, and jazz influences heard on hits like “Biggest Part of Me” and “How Much I Feel,” where his layered keyboard arrangements and melodic sensibility played a defining role.

North built a varied career that extended beyond Ambrosia into session work and collaborations, earning respect within the industry for his musicianship even as he maintained a relatively low public profile, and his personal life was largely private,

centered on family and music rather than celebrity; he died on Monday, March 30, 2026, at the age of 74, and was survived by his family members and former bandmates who continued to honor his legacy.

James Tolkan, born on June 20, 1931 in Calumet, Michigan, was raised in a working-class environment and later attended the University of Iowa, where he developed his craft in acting before pursuing a professional career that would span decades across stage, film, and television,

establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable character actors, particularly known for portraying stern, authoritative figures with an intense and often intimidating presence in films such as Back to the Future.

In Back to the Future he played the uncompromising Principal Strickland, and in Top Gun, he appeared as a strict military instructor, roles that cemented his reputation for commanding performances. He convincingly embodied such roles through disciplined acting, and his extensive career included numerous guest appearances on television and performances in theater,

reflecting both versatility and longevity, while his personal life included a long marriage to his wife Lynda and a close relationship with his children and grandchildren; Tolkan received enduring recognition from audiences and peers for his distinctive contributions to film and television, and he died on Friday, March 27, 2026, at the age of 94, survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.