Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes has passed away, He was 65 years old.
Having battled cancer for several years, the rock guitarist succumbed to the fatal disease on Monday (1.20.25) according to his estate, along with a statement posted on John’s official Facebook page that 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.”
In their own words the members of Whitesnake paid tribute to the fallen musician.
Singer David Coverdale took to Instagram with “Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing…My sincere condolences to his family, friends + fans…”
Ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman praised the “wonderful” musician’s legacy writing “His work with Tygers of Pan Tang was by far my favorite of the [New Wave of British Heavy Metal]. A wonderful guitarist.”
Sykes began his career in heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang but quit to join Thin Lizzy in 1982, where he contributed to their 1983 album ‘Thunder and Lightning’ and remained in the band until they broke up 1984. That same year, he joined Whitesnake and was featured on their record ‘Slide It In’, as well as writing and recording parts for their self-titled 1987 LP, though frontman Coverdale fired all his bandmates before its formal release.
Prior to launching a solo career in 1994, John went on to form Blue Murder with drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tony Franklin, and two years later, he reunited with Thin Lizzy and fronted the group until 2009.
The last two John Sykes releases included solo songs ‘Dawning of a Brand New Day’ and ‘Out Alive’ in 2021.
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Geffen Records – Public Domain