The Animals' Most Rocking Guitarist, Hilton Valentine Dies

Hilton Valentine (Source: hiltonvalentine.com)

JAKARTA - The Animals guitarist, Hilton Valentine, died at the age of 77. The cause of Valentine's death is unknown.

Abkco's record label was the first to report. Valentine died on Friday, January 29. Abkco pays emotional tribute to Valentine.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to Hilton Valentine's family and friends when she died this morning, aged 77," wrote Abkco, quoted Sunday, January 31.

Our deepest sympathies go out to @ HiltonValentine's family and friends on his passing this morning, at the age of 77.A founding member and original guitarist of The Animals, Valentine was a pioneering guitar player influencing the sound of rock and roll for decades to come . pic.twitter.com/gSUyVN0WWS

- ABKCO Music & Records (@ABKCO) January 29, 2021

"A founding member and original guitarist for The Animals, Valentine was the pioneering guitar player who influenced the sound of rock and roll for decades to come."

They added: We at Abkco have been privileged to serve as stewards of the Animal catalog and his departure was felt in a very profound way by the entire Abkco family.

Valentine is the man behind one of the most iconic riffs in music history for The Animals song The House Of The Rising Sun. The song reached the number one charts in the UK, United States (US), and Canada in 1964.

Valentine himself is an important figure in The Animals. In an interview with Guitar International, band member and founder Eric Burdon described Valentine's influence.

"Hilton really started The Animals as a rock band because I thought the rock element wasn't in the band until we found it (Valentine)."

“In those days Hilton didn't just play rock 'n' roll, he looked like rock 'n' roll. This is a guy with slicked back hair, a cheap leather jacket, winkle-picking shoes, black jeans and a smile on his face playing through the echoplex, which was the secret weapon of the time. "

Valentine left The Animals in 1966. He continued his career as a solo artist and as part of a number of other groups.