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.

The English guitarist co-wrote Whitesnake's 'Is This Love,' one of the defining power ballads of late-'80s hard rock.

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.