Thin Lizzy are one of my favorite classic rock bands and bassist/vocalist/songwriter Phil Lynott is a big reason. A black Irishmen, he was a composer, singer and poet who grew up in Dublin.
He started singing in bands in '65. In the late '60s he learned rhythm guitar and bass, forming Thin Lizzy with ex-members of Them. Thin Lizzy recorded several great albums with their twin lead guitars and Phil's poetic street-wise, yet romantic lyrics. The band mixed hard rock, heavy metal, blues, Irish folk and funk and yielded several lasting hits. Ravaged by drugs, the band called it a day in '83.
He continued on for a few years working under his own name. Other side projects throughout the years included work on Jeff Waynes' War of the Worlds album, a punk band called The Greedies (with members of Sex Pistols), Johnny Thunders' solo debut album, Mark Knopfler, Huey Lewis, Paul Hardcastle and others, as well as a few volumes of published poetry.
Nearly leaving Lizzy in the early '70s to start a band with members of Deep Purple, Lynott ended up recording a Purple tribute album under the name of Funky Junction (who were in reality Thin Lizzy).