John Sykes, who made his name as one of rock’s top guitarists with bands such as Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, has died at the age of 65.

The guitarist died because of cancer, according to an announcement on his official website.

“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,” the announcement says. “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.”

Sykes first played guitar for the heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, but joined Thin Lizzy in 1983. Thin Lizzy broke up less than a year later, according to Guitar World.

He played guitar on Whitesnake’s hit debut album in 1987, but left the band before the record’s release because of strained relations with lead singer David Coverdale, Guitar World reports. Sykes then helped form the heavy metal band Blue Murder, but it broke up in the early 1990s after limited commercial success.

Blast! reports that Sykes also released solo albums during the 1990s, including “Out of My Tree” and “Loveland.” He had three sons with his former wife, Jennifer Brooks-Sykes.