Hilton Valentine was a founding member of The Animals.
The record label of Hilton Valentine has confirmed The Animals guitarist passed away last Friday, January 29th at the age of 77.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to Hilton Valentine’s family and friends on his passing this morning, at the age of 77,” Abkco Hilton have written.
“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.”
“We at Abkco have been privileged to serve as stewards of The Animals catalog and his passing is felt in a truly profound way by the entire Abkco family.”
In the beat era of covers and songwriting teams, Valentine’s guitar together with the inimitable vocals of Eric Burdon made The Animals one of that tradition’s greatest exponents, an arsenal of authentic, elevated recordings perhaps summed up best by their best known hit, The House Of The Rising Sun.
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