Legendary British guitarist John Sykes dies at 65

Starting his journey with the strings in 1980, 'The Tigers of Pan Tang', 'Whitesnake' and 'Thin Lizzy' fame went on to make heads bang with his tunes
English Rock musician John Sykes, of the group Whitesnake, performs onstage at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, November 10, 1984.
English Rock musician John Sykes, of the group Whitesnake, performs onstage at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, November 10, 1984.Paul Natkin
Published on
Updated on
1 min read

On January 20, one of the most gifted guitarists in the world, John Sykes, bid adieu to the world. losing a long-fought battle with cancer and took his last breath at the age of 65. John's death was announced on his official Facebook page and his official website.

John's passing at the age of 65 has shook many. David Coverdale, the lead singer of Whitesnake, posted on Instagram expressing his grief.

Slash, lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses, also posted on Instagram mourning John's loss

The news of John succumbing to cancer also came as a shock to many of his fans who expressed their shock and heartfelt tributes on social media.

John's craft was influenced by artists such as Jimmy Page Gary Moore, Uli John Roth and more. A revered figure in the heavy metal scene, he started his career in 1980 for Tygers of Pan Tang and recorded two albums with them. He went on to join Thin Lizzy in 1982 and featured on their critically acclaimed album Thunder and Lightning and stayed with them through their split. He then went on to join Whitesnake in 1984 and featured in their first ever commercial hit album Slide It In. John's prowess wasn't just limited to the guitar, as he also co-wrote some of Whitesnake's most popular songs After Whitesnake, he rejoined a newly formed Thin Lizzy in 1996 and went on to lead the band till 2009.

English Rock musician John Sykes, of the group Whitesnake, performs onstage at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, November 10, 1984.
A dive into creativity and craft with The F16s

Related Stories

No stories found.