RIP. Hilton Valentine

Animals' guitarist Hilton Valentine, best known for the iconic opening riff on the English rock band's arrangement of "The House of the Rising Sun," has died at the age of 77.

The band's record label ABKCO Music announced Valentine's death in a statement Friday, saying it learned of the guitarist's death from his wife, Germaine Valentine. The statement did not identify the cause of death.

Valentine began playing guitar as a teenager growing up in North Shields, Northumberland, the label said. After honing his skills playing with other groups, Valentine was recruited in 1963 to form The Animals, along with Eric Burdon, keys player Alan Price, bassist Chas Chandler and drummer John Steel.