John Sykes, the legendary hard-rock guitarist who was a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and the Tygers of Pan Tang, sadly passed at the age of 65.

A post on his official Facebook page confirmed the unfortunate news of his demise on Monday, January 20, 2025. It read: “It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. 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.”

The fierce performer, recognised by his distinct wavy blond hair, was best known for hit singles “Still of the Night” and “Is This Love,” which were featured on Whitesnake’s eponymous 1987 seventh album, which included nearly all of his co-written songs. However, his gig with the band wasn’t meant to be, as John Sykes was ousted from the act even before the album was released due to his tussle with David Coverdale.

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