Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes has died.
The veteran rocker had been battling cancer for several years but succumbed to the disease on Monday (20.01.25) at the age of 65, his estate have announced.
A statement shared on John’s official Facebook page read: “It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. He will be remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent but for those who didn’t know him personally, he was a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room.
“He certainly marched to the beat of his own drum and always pulled for the underdog. In his final days, he spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years.
“While the impact of his loss is profound and the mood somber, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”
Whitesnake have paid tribute to the rocker.
Singer David Coverdale posted on Instagram: “Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing…My sincere condolences to his family, friends + fans…”
Ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman also praised the “wonderful” musician’s legacy.
He wrote: “His work with Tygers of Pan Tang was by far my favourite of the [New Wave of British Heavy Metal]. A wonderful guitarist.”
John began his career in heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang but quit to join Thin Lizzy in 1982, where he played on their 1983 album ‘Thunder and Lightning’ and stayed until they split in 1984.
That same year, he joined Whitesnake and featured on their record ‘Slide It In’, as well as writing and recording parts for their self-titled 1987 album, though frontman David had fired all his bandmates before it was release.
John went on to form Blue Murder wth drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tony Franklin before launching a solo career in 1994.
Two years later, he reunited with Thin Lizzy and fronted the group until 2009.
His last releases were 2021 solo songs ‘Dawning of a Brand New Day’ and ‘Out Alive’.