Philip Lynott

Philip Parris "Phil" Lynott (play /?la?n?t/; 20 August 1949 ? 4 January 1986) was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, lead vocalist and bassist of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy In the mid 1960s, Lynott began singing in his first band, The Black Eagles. Around this time, he befriended Brian Downey, who was later persuaded to join the band from "The Liffey Beats".

Before long, The Black Eagles broke up and Lynott joined Kama Sutra, before singing in Skid Row (not to be confused with an American band of the same name), a band that featured guitarist Gary Moore, bassist Brendan 'Brush' Shiels and drummer Noel Bridgeman. Lynott was let go by Skid Row following a temporary absence to have his tonsils removed. Shiels gave him a bass guitar he had bought from former musician Robert Ballagh and some lessons to help him on his way. Lynott and Downey quickly put together a new band called Orphanage, with guitarist Joe Staunton and bassist Pat Quigley
In 1969, Lynott and Downey quit Orphanage to form Thin Lizzy with guitarist Eric Bell and keyboard player Eric Wrixon (both ex-Them, but from different line-ups). Lynott was the main songwriter for Thin Lizzy, as well as the lead singer and bassist.
In 1980, though Thin Lizzy were still enjoying considerable success, Phil Lynott launched a solo career with the album Solo in Soho. In 1982 he released his second solo album, The Philip Lynott Album.
Thin Lizzy disbanded in 1983,
Lynott's last years were dogged by drug and alcohol dependency leading to his collapse on Christmas Day 1985, at his home in Kew. After his estranged wife Caroline drove him to a drug clinic at Clouds House in East Knoyle, near Warminster, he was taken to Salisbury Infirmary where he was diagnosed as suffering from septicemia. He died of pneumonia and heart failure due to sepsis in the hospital's intensive care unit on 4 January 1986, at the age of 36.