Guitarist John Sykes has died at 65 years old after a battle with cancer. Sykes had a pretty incredible career in rock and metal. Sykes played guitar for Thin Lizzy between 1982 and 1984 (plus most of the years between 1994 and 2009 in their post Phil Lynott days), as well as Tygers Of Pan Tang between 1980 and 1982, Whitesnake between 1983 and 1987, and Blue Murder from 1988 to 1994.
"It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer," reads a statement posted on Sykes' social media. "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."
