Photo: Richard William Laws / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
For me, Valentine is proof that one guitar part can outlive everything else. That rolling arpeggio on The Animals' House of the Rising Sun is among the most recognizable openings in rock, and he played it. I respect that he was a craftsman rather than a flashy guitar hero, the kind of player who served the song instead of his own ego. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction was earned, not gifted. His passing in 2021 closed a chapter on the British invasion's pioneers, but that riff keeps ringing. A real loss.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Hilton Valentine
- Name (Japanese)
- ヒルトン・ヴァレンタイン
- Reading
- ひるとん・ゔぁれんたいん
- Born
- May 21, 1943 – January 29, 2021
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Goat
- Origin
- North Shields, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- guitarist / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- John Spence Community High School
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Hilton Valentine born?
May 21, 1943 – January 29, 2021.
Where is Hilton Valentine from?
Hilton Valentine is from North Shields, United Kingdom.
What does Hilton Valentine do?
Hilton Valentine works as guitarist, musician.
Guitarist — see all → · Musician — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.