Whitesnake & Thin Lizzy Guitarist John Sykes, Dies at 65
John Sykes, best known for playing guitar with iconic bands Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died. He was 65 years old and was reportedly battling cancer when he died on January 20, 2025. Thin Lizzy’s Instagram page confirmed the news and shared a statement about his passing.
The band wrote, “[Sykes] was with Lizzy for the Thunder and Lightning album and tour bringing a harder edge to their sound. He always sounded fantastic and looked cool on stage. He stayed with the band until the end, a perfect fit with Phil, Scott, Brian and Darren. He joined @whitesnake after, a perfect foil for David Coverdale. Our respect and thoughts to his family and friends and a massive thank you for being a part of the Thin Lizzy story and history. Please play T&L today and play it loud.”
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A tribute to Sykes was also placed on his personal Facebook page for fans. It read, “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.”
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Born on July 29, 1959, he started out in bands such as Streetfighter and Badlands before joining the heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang in 1980. Through one of the producers, Sykes was introduced to Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott and was asked to join their band. After working with them for several years and appearing on their farewell tour in 1983, he was recruited by English hard rock band Whitesnake.
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After Sykes and the rest of the band were fired by frontman David Coverdale, Sykes founded the heavy metal band Blue Murder alongside Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. Eventually, he reunited with his Thin Lizzy bandmates, serving as a tribute band to the late Lynott, who died in 1986. In addition to his work with various bands, he released four solo albums throughout his career, including his most recent music in 2021.
Sykes is survived by his three sons, James, John Jr. and Sean.
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