Shawn lane at 24.

Really tragic situation with him and his psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis. Reliance on steroids ultimately killed him. Better treatments have been available since the 90’s but no chance in hell you could get them without insurance. It’s amazing how he was able to play with the disease since it effects tendons and joints.
 
I never knew the full story but man that's tragic! I used cortisone for ezcema as a kid but it was only my hands for most part. Never had it all over which I understand can be crippling. I wonder how far we have come since then... my guess, not very far as my daughter has a bit of eczema and when it flares up, cortisone is the go to. Poor guy.

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Health and death[edit]​

Lane had psoriasis throughout his life. After age twelve, he also suffered from psoriatic arthritis, which caused stiffness in his joints and after 2000 was affecting his ability to play guitar (Lane stated that with proper rest he could still play live gigs, etc.).[1] Lane had treated his psoriasis with hydrocortisone for many years, which caused his weight to increase, further loading his joints. The required usage of cortisone over time resulted in him having Cushing's syndrome. Consequently, he backed off taking cortisone, but then the psoriasis would flare up, and he would need prescription pain killers to deal with the unremitting pain.[1] The symptoms of his condition and the side effects of the medications created a vicious circle. Complicating matters, for many years Lane did not have medical insurance coverage.[1] In 2003 he started having difficulty breathing and was told that he would have to remain on medical oxygen for the rest of his life.[5]

Lane died in a hospital in Memphis on September 26, 2003 of lung-related illnesses.[2][6] His body was buried at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.[7]
 
I always wonder, given how talented and DIY he was...what could he have been able to do with todays technology?
 
Sort of like a hybrid of Paul Gilbert and Eric Johnson with just enough Malmsteen to know that even if he is trying to hide it, YJM is there :p

That second video posted is from 1979 when 17 year old Shawn Lane was touring with Black Oak Arkansas. Gilbert was hugely influenced by Shawn Lane, he talked about him all the time when he was at GIT. I don't know if Eric Johnson or Yngwie were hip to Shawn Lane, but Lane's chops were freaking ridiculous in'79
 
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