Hilton Valentine , guitarist and one of the founding members of the rock band The Animals , died at age 77 last Friday, the 29th.
The news was confirmed by the record label Abkco , which did not reveal the cause of the artist's death. "Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Hilton Valentine on his passing this morning at the age of 77."
"One of the founding members and original guitarist of The Animals, Valentine was a pioneering guitarist who influenced the sound of rock 'n' roll for decades," the official statement said.
Valentine and his powerful riff were present in the band's biggest hits, such as "The House Of The Rising Sun," which topped the charts in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada in 1964, as well as other well-known songs like "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," "It's My Life," and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place.".
Hilton's influence was acknowledged and honored by another great guitarist, Brian May of Queen , who played The Animals' greatest classic (see below), and wrote, “Here is the immortal riff by Hilton Valentine that introduces this groundbreaking song released by The Animals in 1964. Rest in peace Hilton – and thank you for these great steps in the future of rock. Bri.”