Thin Lizzy was a hard rock/proto-heavy metal band, formed by Irish bassist and singer Phil Lynott in the late sixties. Lynott was one of the only black men to achieve significant success in hard rock. Their first taste of success was the 1973 hit single, Whisky in the Jar, a cover of a traditional Irish song.Fighting (1975) was their first album success, but the next album, Jailbreak, was a smash hit thanks to the single "The Boys Are Back in Town", now their most remembered hit.
During the late 1970s and early 80s, Thin Lizzy played to a rabid fanbase but was unable to break into mainstream markets. After the band broke up in the mid-80s, Lynott began a solo career. He died in 1986, a victim of drug abuse. The band reunited without him in 1999 for a European tour and live album.
Thin Lizzy is now widely recognized as one of the first hard rock bands to employ double lead guitar harmony, a technique later refined and popularized by groups such as Iron Maiden. Examples include "The Boys are Back in Town" and "Cowboy Song" from "Jailbreak."
Over the years, the membership of the band went through many changes, but the constant members were Lynott on bass and vocals and Brian Downey on drums. The list of guitarists who played with the band includes:
- Eric Bell
- Brian Robertson
- Gary Moore
- Scott Gorham
- Midge Ure
- Snowy White
- John Sykes
