Eric Burdon | Artist

Eric Burdon is an English singer-songwriter and actor born 1941 in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. He was the vocalist of rock band The Animals and funk band War, and has had a long and distinguished solo career. He is regarded as one of rock's most distinctive singers with his deep, powerful blues-rock voice. Burdon became lead singer of the Animals who formed during 1962 in Newcastle. The lineup was Burdon, Alan Price (piano), Chas Chandler (bass), John Steel (drums) and Hilton Valentine (guitar). The Animals combined electric blues with rock and became one of the leading bands of the British Invasion of the USA, along with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Hollies and the Kinks. The Animals had numerous hit singles with Burdon up front on vocals, including "House of the Rising Sun", "Don't Let me be Misunderstood", "We Gotta Get Out of This Place", "See See Rider", "Monterey" and "Sky Pilot". Burdon continued until 1984 with different lineups of The Animals, but in 1969 pursued his interest in black funk/R&B by joining the San Francisco based band War. War released three strong studio albums and had the hit single "Spill the Wine". Over his career Burdon has released over 30 studio albums including group and solo work. Standouts include Winds of Change (1967), The Twain Shall Meet (1968), Love Is (1968), Eric Burdon Declares War (1970), The Black-Man's Burdon (1970), My Secret Life (2004), and Soul of a Man (2006). The 1990 compilation The Complete Animals is a superb collection of the best early work by The Animals. In his early years Burdon was also a good friend of John Lennon and Lennon name-dropped him as "the Eggman" in the Beatles song "I Am The Walrus".

Artist Website: ericburdon.com

Featured Albums: Eric Burdon

Related Artists: The Animals, War, Alan Price