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.

"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.

Musician John Sykes, the guitarist for Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake and more, has died. He was 65. Sykes passed away after battling cancer, according to a post shared on his verified social media accounts.