Legendary English guitarist John Sykes, best known for his tenures with Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang, has died at the age of 65.A statement issued on his official website this evening (20th January) revealed that he passed away following a heroic fight with cancer.
It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer,” the statement reads.
“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 sombre, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”
Born on 29th July 1959 in Reading, Berkshire, John Sykes’ love for the guitar started aged 14 when his uncle taught him some Eric Clapton riffs.Sykes’ professional career started in 1980 when he left his previous band Streetfighter to join Whitley Bay metallers Tygers of Pan Tang as their second guitarist.
