Rock guitar virtuoso John Sykes, known for his work with Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died at age 65 following a battle with cancer, according to a statement on his website.
The British musician made his mark in several influential rock bands throughout his career, starting with Tygers of Pan Tang in 1980 before joining Thin Lizzy in 1982. With Thin Lizzy, he performed on their final two albums "Thunder and Lightning" and "Life," and participated in the band's farewell tour.
In 1984, Sykes joined Whitesnake and played on their breakthrough album "Slide It In." His most notable contribution came on Whitesnake's massively successful 1987 self-titled album, which he co-wrote. The record included the hit singles "Still of the Night" and "Is This Love," helping drive sales to over 8 million copies in the United States.
After departing Whitesnake, Sykes formed the hard rock group Blue Murder with Tony Franklin and Carmine Appice. He later released several solo albums and continued performing with a touring version of Thin Lizzy until 2009.
Whitesnake founder David Coverdale expressed his condolences on social media, posting photos with Sykes and writing: "Just heard the shocking news of John's passing. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and fans."
The statement on Sykes's website noted that in his final days, he expressed gratitude toward his loyal fans. Beyond his musical talents, he was remembered as "a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room."
Sykes is survived by his three sons James, John Jr., and Sean.