Yahoo Lifestyle Rock Legend John Sykes Dies at 65: Tributes Pour in from Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Slash
John Sykes has died. He was 65 years old.
A notice shared on the Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist's website revealed that the artist had passed away after a battle with cancer.
"It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer," the statement began. "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."
The announcement continued, offering insight into "his final days," during which 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," it concluded.
Born on July 29, 1959, in England, Sykes expressed interest in music early in his adolescence, idolizing rockers like Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore. He played in several heavy metal and rock bands before landing with the Irish group Thin Lizzy in 1982. He stayed with the band as it rose to notoriety with its 1983 album Thunder and Lightning, which became their last before frontman Phil Lynott died in 1986. The group disbanded, The Guardian reported.
It was around this time when Whitesnake singer David Coverdale convinced Skyes to join the band, later debuting on its 1984 album Slide It In, which fast-tracked the group to widespread recognition in the U.S. Sykes and the other members infamously had a falling out with Coverdale that led the band to split sometime shortly after the release of their 1987 self-titled LP and they were never able to reconcile.
Sykes tried one last time to form a cohesive band, collaborating with musicians Tony Franklin and Carmine Appice and forming the group Blue Murder, but was unsuccessful. He eventually pursued a solo career and released four studio albums under his own name.
The tension appeared to have subsided with time, as Coverdale was among a few of the first to pay tribute to the late artist, taking to the band's Instagram page with a few throwback photos of the group performing and an emotional statement.
"Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing…" the accompanying caption read. "My sincere condolences to his family, friends & fans…🙏✨🙏✨⭐️✨🙏✨🙏."
Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash also mourned the loss, sharing a picture of Sykes shredding and the simple caption: "RIP #JohnSykes."
Sykes is survived by his three sons, James, John Jr. and Sean, whom he welcomed with his ex-wife, Jennifer Brooks Sykes, before they divorced in 1999 after nine years of marriage.
