Sykes co-wrote "Is This Love," one of Whitesnake's biggest hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and more songs on the band's chart-topping, self-titled 1987 album.

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.

John Sykes, the veteran hard-rock guitarist known for his time with Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, and the Tygers of Pan Tang, has passed away. The musician died "after a hard-fought battle with cancer," according to a statement on his website.