Guitarist John Sykes has died

Guitarist John Sykes has died at age 65 after a long battle with cancer. His passing was announced Monday, January 20, on his Facebook page.

“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 somber, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”

With a Les Paul Custom and a vibrato wider than the English Channel, Sykes made his mark most notably with Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake in the 1980s. That’s Sykes’ dynamic playing — part masterful melodist, part muscular shredder — on Whitesnake mega-hits like “Still of the Night,” “Is This Love” and the indomitable “Here I Go Again.”

Describing his goal with the formerly pub-rocking Whitesnake — whom he joined in 1983 and exited under acrimonious circumstances, just after recording the massive-selling 1987 self-titled album — he said he wanted to bring in a “modern, edgy guitar sound with melody, finesse and drive,” and that he did. It’s also a pretty accurate description of Sykes’ guitar approach throughout his career.

Sykes came on the scene in 1980 as a member of New Wave of British Heavy Metal Tygers of Pan Tang, but within a few years he hooked up with Phil Lynott in the final version of Thin Lizzy, joining the band for one studio album, Thunder and Lightningand a farewell tour. Tracks like “Thunder and Lightning” and the Lynott/Sykes co-write “Cold Sweat” showcased his massive, blues-rock-on-steroids tone, which came courtesy of his 1978 Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” through modded Marshall amplifiers (later Mesa/Boogies).

They also demonstrated a truly overwhelming lead style influenced by Sykes’ rock and metal forebears (Page, Blackmore, Gary Moore, et al.), with the intensity increased by 10 notches. In his hands, pentatonic runs were blistering bursts of alternate-picked lines that climaxed in screaming sustained notes and squealing artificial harmonics, spiked with tapped flurries, frantic tremolo-picked phrases and wide, vocal-like vibratos.

Sykes later helped bring Whitesnake kicking and screaming into the shred-obsessed ’80s. where they sold a bazillion units of their 1987 self-titled album. For what it’s worth, Whitesnake leader David Coverdale had to hire not one but two guitarists to fill his prodigious shoes after Sykes left the band that same year.

Afterward, Sykes formed Blue Murder with bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. Their self-titled debut made the Billboard 200 and gave them a minor hit with “Jelly Roll,” but with the advent of grunge, their brand of rock fell out of fashion.

Sykes concentrated on his solo career following his departure from Blue Murder in 1994. He released five albums between 1995 and 2004, and while numerous projects were discussed or hinted at, nothing came of them. His last releases were the songs “Dawning of a Brand New Day” and “Out Alive,” both of which came out in 2021 and were intended for his much-anticipated solo album Sy-Ops. That album had a tentative release date for 2025.

Tributes to Sykes poured out from his fans and former bandmates in the hours after his death was announced.

“Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing,” David Coverdale wrote on Twitter. “My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and fans.”

“Devastating shocking news!” wrote Eddie Trunk on Twitter. “As most know John was not only a friend, but always one of my favorite guitarists. Stunned by this. What a loss. Condolences to his family and friends. Crushed.”

“RIP John,” wrote one fan on the Facebook post announcing Sykes’ passing. “I wish I could hear the music you’re making with Gary Moore up there now.”