John Sykes, the world-renowned guitarist, best known for his work with the likes of Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, passed away at the age of 65 on January 21, 2025.

On the subsequent tour, Sykes' place was taken by both Adrian Vandenberg and Vivian Campbell, though within just a couple of years, they too would be out of the band – the former temporarily, due to injury, and the latter permanently, due to personal differences.

Following the death of former Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake star John Sykes on 20 January, his former bandmate and fellow guitarist Scott Gorham has hailed Sykes as "a great musician". Gorham and Sykes played together in Thin Lizzy in 1983 and again in the '90s.

British guitarist John Sykes, best known for his work with rock bands Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, has died aged 65 “after a hard fought battle with cancer,” according to a statement on his website.

The English guitarist co-wrote Whitesnake's 'Is This Love,' one of the defining power ballads of late-'80s hard rock.

John Sykes, a veteran hard-rock guitarist who was a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and the Tygers of Pan Tang, has died, according to a post on his official Facebook page. He had battled cancer for several years;

The English guitarist arrived in the 1980s' New Wave of British Heavy Metal, toting a Les Paul Custom and a vibrato wider than the English Channel

The guitarist died after a 'hard fought' health battle, according to an official statement.

John Sykes, a hard-rock guitarist and singer who played with Thin Lizzy before joining Whitesnake for its smash 1987 album and later forming Blue Murder, has died of cancer. He was 65. The news was confirmed on Sykes’ Facebook page,

John Sykes, the electrifying guitarist who rocked the world in legendary bands Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died at 65.

The British rock guitarist John Sykes, who played with Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died aged 65. A statement on his website said Sykes "passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer". It described him as a "thoughtful,

John Sykes, best known for playing guitar with iconic bands Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died. He was 65 years old and was reportedly battling cancer when he died on January 20, 2025. Thin Lizzy’s Instagram page confirmed the news and shared a statement about his passing.