Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes dies at 65

John Sykes, the hard rock guitarist who worked for Thin Lizzy, has passed away at the age of 65.

His death was confirmed via a post on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, January 21 however, the exact date of his death wasn’t mentioned.

It has been revealed that Sykes breathed his last after a "hard fought battle with cancer."

The late artist, who had exceptional musical talent, was described as a "thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room."

Reflecting on his final days, the heartfelt tribute added that Sykes "spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years."

The statement concluded, "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." It was accompanied by a snapshot of Sykes kissing his beloved black guitar.

Sykes first started with the band Street Fighter. He also played with Thin Lizzy before joining Whitesnake for its smash 1987 album and later formed Blue Murder with Tony Franklin and Carmine Appice.

After Franklin and Appic’s departure, Sykes went for a solo career and released four studio albums.