The Animals’ Hilton Valentine dies at 77
Hilton Valentine, the founding guitarist of the English rock and roll band The Animals who is credited with coming up with one of the most famous opening riffs of the 1960s, has died. He was 77. The band’s label ABKCO Music confirmed that Valentine died on Friday, saying it was told of his death by his wife, Germaine Valentine. The cause of death was not given. “Valentine was a pioneering guitar player influencing the sound of rock and roll for decades to come,” the label said in a statement. Valentine formed The Animals in 1963 alongside singer Eric Burdon, bassist Chas Chandler, organist Alan Price and drummer John Steel. The band’s most famous hit came in 1964, when their rock-infused take of the folk song “The House of the Rising Sun” topped the charts in both the UK and the US. The song’s opening riff has been a rite of passage for budding guitarists around the world ever since.
LONDON: Hilton Valentine, the founding guitarist of the English rock and roll band The Animals who is credited with coming up with one of the most famous opening riffs of the 1960s, has died. He was 77.
The band’s label ABKCO Music confirmed that Valentine died on Friday, saying it was told of his death by his wife, Germaine Valentine. The cause of death was not given.
“Valentine was a pioneering guitar player influencing the sound of rock and roll for decades to come,” the label said.
Valentine took up the guitar at 13 in his hometown of North Shields in northeast England, subsequently getting involved in the skiffle craze - a kind of fusion of American folk, country, jazz and blues.
Valentine formed The Animals in 1963 alongside singer Eric Burdon, bassist Chas Chandler, organist Alan Price and drummer John Steel.
The band’s most famous hit came in 1964, when their rockinfused take of the folk song The House of the Rising Sun topped the charts. He remained with the band for four years and is also heard on other classics including Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, We Gotta Get Out of This Place and Don’t Bring Me Down.
In recent years, Valentine has been living in Connecticut, US, returning to skiffle music with the formation of his band Skiffledog.