Blue plaque for guitar legend and founding member of The Animals unveiled

A blue plaque celebrating the life of guitar legend, Hilton Valentine has been placed on the wall at his childhood home in North Shields. 

Valentine was a founding member of 1960's ‘British Invasion’ group The Animals.

He was best known for composing one of the most famous rock intros of all time from the band’s breakthrough hit, House of the Rising Sun, in 1964.

Hilton passed away in January aged 77. He was admired by other rock greats such as Bob Dylan for his distinctive playing on a string.

Hilton and his bandmates Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler, Alan Price, and John Steel were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and Hollywood’s Rock Walk of Fame in 2001.

In 2011, he returned to his musical roots and paid tribute to the street where he grew up with the album Skiffledog on Coburg Street. His last recording in 2019 was River Tyne, a sombre folk song that celebrated the river close to his boyhood home.

As a permanent tribute, North Tyneside Council unveiled a blue plaque at his childhood home at 42 Coburg Street, North Shields, where he lived between 1944 and 1960.