The Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine has died, at the age of 77.
Hilton was one of the founding members of the band, who were best known for their 1964 rendition of The House Of The Rising Sun, which topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the group’s record label confirmed that he had died on Friday morning.
Alongside a photo of Hilton posing on the Newcastle quayside, they wrote: “Valentine was a pioneering guitar player influencing the sound of rock and roll for decades to come.”
Hilton, who originally hailed from North Shields, North Tyneside, formed The Animals in 1963 alongside singer Eric Burdon, bassist Chas Chandler, organist Alan Price and drummer John Steel.
Paying tribute, Eric wrote on Instagram: “The opening opus of Rising Sun will never sound the same!… You didn’t just play it, you lived it! Heartbroken by the sudden news of Hilton’s passing.
“We had great times together, Geordie lad. From the North Shields to the entire world…Rock In Peace.”
Following the success of The House Of The Rising Sun, The Animals had a string of chart hits in the 1960s, including I’m Crying, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.
Hilton left the group in 1966, but eventually returned for several reunions with different incarnations of the original band.
The final Animals album released with Hilton on guitar was Ark back in 1983.
In 1994, the band were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.