British guitarist John Sykes, best known for his work with rock bands Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, has died aged 65 “after a hard fought battle with cancer,” according to a statement on his website.

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."

Yesterday (January 20), it was announced that John Sykes – a hugely influential mainstay of '80s hard rock guitar who had stints in Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, and Tygers of Pan Tang – had died at 65.

John Sykes, a guitarist who played with rock bands Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, died at the age of 65. Who is he and how caused his death? here's all y

Sykes joined Whitesnake in 1984 when the band's frontman, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale, asked him to replace founding guitarist Micky Moody while the British band was on tour behind that year's 'Slide It In'.

"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 veteran hard-rock guitarist who was a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and the Tygers of Pan Tang, has died, according to a post on his official Facebook page. He had battled cancer for several years;

Guitarist John Sykes, who played in classic British rock bands Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, has died. He was 65. Sykes’ death was announced in a statement on his official website that said he’d “passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer.