The death of former Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy star John Sykes has prompted a wave of loving tributes from his peers. The guitarist died at age 65 after what an official statement describes as "a hard fought battle with cancer."

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

It has been announced that the former Thin Lizzy guitarist and frontman John Sykes has died at the age of 65, after a battle with cancer.

Listed among the greatest heavy metal guitarists of all time, John Sykes has been remembered by stars including Guns N' Roses stars Slash and Steven Adler.

(Gray News) - Guitarist and songwriter John Sykes, who played for Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died. Sykes died at the age of 65 after a “hard-fought battle with cancer,” according to a statement on his website.

John Sykes, the guitarist whose talent helped propel Whitesnake to success, is dead at 65. He also worked with the bands Thin Lizzy and Blue Murder. Dig into all the new Netflix TV shows and movies heading to Netflix this week.

John Sykes died from cancer at age 65. The guitarist played for both Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake before joining Blue Murder with Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice.

In his final days, he spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years,” a statement released Monday read.

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,

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

John Skyes, a guitarist who played with Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake in the 1980s, has died at 65 after a battle with cancer.