English Rock musician John Sykes, of the group Whitesnake, performs onstage at the UIC Pavilion, … [+] Chicago, Illinois, November 10, 1984. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)

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Revered hard rock guitarist John Sykes, who was best known for his work in Thin Lizzy and the multiplatinum-selling glam rock group Whitesnake, has died at age 65.

The following statement was posted to John Sykes’ official Facebook page, which revealed Sykes had been diagnosed with cancer.

“It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. 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.”

John Sykes was known for his distinguished knack when it came to composing engaging and memorable hard rock guitar riffs and solos. His songwriting contributions to the glam rock outfit Whitesnake helped pave the path to the band’s now worldwide success and celebrated legacy — Sykes co-wrote all but two songs on Whitesnake’s eight-times-platinum 1987 self-titled album, Whitesnake. Songs “Is This Love” and “Still of the Night” among others will forever remain some of Sykes’ best work. To this day, they stand as some of the most iconic guitar tracks of the 1980s.

Sykes was dismissed from Whitesnake following the release of their self-titled album, and he then went on to join the English hard-rock outfit Blue Murder until the band broke up in 1994. Following Blue Murder’s disbanding, Sykes returned to Thin Lizzy in 1996 and took over vocal duties for the band until 2009.

Many bands and musicians from the 1980s hard-rock and metal scene have credited John Sykes for his underrated musicianship and virtuosity on the guitar. While Sykes didn’t see the same worldwide recognition as other like-minded 1980s guitar heroes like Eddie Van Halen, Zakk Wylde, or Nuno Bettencourt, his musical contributions to the genre and capabilities as a guitarist are no less significant.