John Sykes, former Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist, dies at 65

Correction & clarification: A prior version of this obituary misidentified John Sykes in a photo and it has since been replaced.

John Sykes, the long-haired guitarist who helped propel bands like Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy to fame in the 1980s, has died from cancer. He was 65.

The news was announced on his official Facebook page Monday evening, though the statement did not say what kind of cancer Sykes died from or when.

USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Sykes for comment.

"He will be remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent," the Facebook statement reads, "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," it continues.

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Sykes began his career with the heavy-metal band Tygers of Pan Tang before softening his sound slightly for an album with Thin Lizzy in 1983 and eventually Whitesnake's smashingly successful self-titled album.

He was ultimately ousted from Whitesnake, along with several other band members, after his relationship with vocalist David Coverdale became strained. Embarking on his own, Sykes founded Blue Murder, another hard rock group, and recorded several albums before breaking up in 1994.

He then spent the remainder of his career reuniting briefly with Thin Lizzy and recording solo. His strumming prowess and writing talent behind the scenes may have escaped the celebrity treatment given to some other notable rockers of the era, but remains an important part of music history.

"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," the social media statement added.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Sykes dead: Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist was 65