Eric Burdon has one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in rock
and roll. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1994, and
hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the 100 Greatest Voices of All Time,
Burdon's music forged new territory while also topping the charts for
over 5 decades.
Highly prolific, Burdon has released nearly 50 records in those 50
years, as front man of The Animals and WAR and simply as Eric Burdon.
Through the changing sounds and genres, what remains constant is his
courage as an artist to explore new sounds, leading into new territory
with his unrivaled and unique voice. Eric Burdon has shared the stage
with legends such as Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Witherspoon and
Otis Redding, and recently cited by cutting edge musicians like Patti
Smith and Iggy Pop in their personal top tens.
Eric began his musical journey as a young man growing up in Newcastle,
England. Listening to his idols, Ray Charles and Bo Diddley, Eric
immersed himself in American blues and jazz. As front man and driving
force of the British Invasion band The Animals, Burdon helped shape
rock and roll's DNA, and Eric's imposing yet soulful vocals are the
driving force of the iconic favorite "House of the Rising Sun".
A long string of hits followed, including "Don't Let Me Be
Misunderstood" and the Vietnam-era anthem, "We Gotta Get Out of This
Place." Pioneering the psychedelic San Francisco sound, Burdon's
classics include "San Franciscan Nights" and "Monterey".
Burdon continued through the years to perform with different iterations
of the Animals, while also founding and fronting the funk group War,
one of the first multiracial bands, and topped the charts again with
his groundbreaking hit single "Spill the Wine".
In the following decades Burdon has become and accomplished painter and
author, and he continues to record and tour as a solo artist. 2012 will
see the release of his new album, "Til Your River Runs Dry."
