Music legend Alan Price, whose hits span 40 years, returns to Cromer Pier on Saturday October 1.

His career embraces the Animals' House Of The Rising Sun to his quirky take on Randy Newman's Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear along with hits teamed up with Georgie Fame, including the most famous Rosetta.

His induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 was testimony to his music career achievements and goes with a Bafta for the soundtrack of the highly acclaimed film O Lucky Man! in which he also appeared as himself.

Alan has recorded many singles and albums during his very successful career and continues to write record and perform regularly throughout Europe. Born in Fatfield, County Durham, he taught himself piano, guitar and bass from the age of eight.

His first group, formed at Jarrow Grammar School, was a skiffle group called The Black Diamonds.

Playing bass guitar with the Frankie Hedley Trio at the Byker Parish Rock Club, he met and sat-in on piano with The Pagans, a group that contained singer Eric Burdon and drummer John Steel.

Various formats evolved into the Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo. As the band prepared to infiltrate the London R&B scene in 1963, the name was changed to The Animals.

Their first single Baby Let Me Take You Home reached number 21 in the UK charts in April 1964 but it was the follow up single House Of The Rising Sun, which became a worldwide number one hit.

It was followed by other hits including Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood before he left the band citing fear of flying, at the height of their success.

This was seen as tantamount to professional suicide, but within a very short time, he had assembled the Alan Price Set. The release of their stirring version of the Screamin' Jay Hawkins song I Put A Spell On You was a huge success and the group continued with such major hits as Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear, Hi Lili, Hi Lo, the self- penned The House That Jack Built and Shame followed by Don't Stop the Carnival.

In 1970, Alan teamed up with Georgie Fame and they had a hit with Rosetta. This same year, Alan also wrote music for the play Home starring Sir John Geilgud and Sir Ralph Richardson, and was commissioned to write the score for O Lucky Man!

In 1974, at a time of social turbulence, he wrote the Jarrow Song, having been brought up in the town famous for its workers' march of 1936. The success of the single and subsequent autobiographical album Between Today and Yesterday achieved critical success and fostered a BBC TV Omnibus documentary.

Alan starred in Alfie Darling in 1975, winning the most promising new British actor award, and has enjoyed a very fruitful career in music, theatre and film as well as continuing to write stage musicals such as Andy Capp and Who's A Lucky Boy?, as well as performing live whenever time allows in his busy schedule.

Last year, surprisingly for the first time in a hugely successful career, Alan and his band performed at Glastonbury festival to rave reviews.

The Cromer show is at 7.30pm. Tickets �17.50 and �16.50 from the box office on 01263 512495