Bernie Marsden dies aged 72

[Rabs]

Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden dies aged 72 | Music | The Guardian

Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden dies aged 72

Rock and blues guitarist amassed one of the most extensive and coveted private guitar collections in the world

 

Adrian Horton

@adrian_horton

Fri 25 Aug 2023 17.49 BST

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Bernie Marsden, original guitarist for the band Whitesnake, has died, according to a statement from his family. He was 72.

Marsden “died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side”, his family wrote on Instagram. “Bernie never lost his passion for music, writing and recording new songs until the end.”

 

One of the UK’s foremost rock and blues guitarists, Marsden wrote or co-wrote several of Whitesnake’s hit songs, including Fool for Your Loving, She’s a Woman, Walking in the Shadow of the Blues, Trouble and the international chart-topper Here I Go Again.

Born in Buckingham in 1951, Marsden got his start with the rock band UFO in 1972. After stints in several bands and a short-lived project with former Deep Purple members called Paice Ashton Lord, Marsden created Whitesnake in London in 1978 along with the former Deep Purple singer David Coverdale and the guitarist Micky Moody. Marsden performed on the first EP, five albums and a live album, from Snakebite (1978) through Saints & Sinners (1982). He also released two solo albums during this period, And About Time Too (1979) and Look at Me Now (1981).

Marsden was well known for his extensive and coveted private guitar collection, which included more than 200 pieces. In June, one of his jewels, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard known as “The Beast” was briefly put up for sale with a price tag exceeding $1.3m.

On Friday morning, his former Whitesnake bandmate Coverdale paid tribute to Marsden on social media. “I’ve just woken up to the awful news that my old friend and former Snake Bernie Marsden has passed,” he wrote on Twitter. “My sincere thoughts and prayers to his beloved family, friends and fans. A genuinely funny, gifted man, whom I was honored to know and share a stage with.

[IanHenry]

That's a big loss, Bernie was a character who was impossible to dislike.

RIP Bernie 

[marco mancini]

i still not believe it ! 😭

[tx-ogre]

Sad news.  RIP Bernie.

[sparquelito]

Oh man.

Rest in peace, guitar player extraordinaire.

🥲

[Sgt. Pepper]

He had an amazing collection. 
 

RIP

[Dub-T-123]

That’s sad news. It makes sense why he was selling his collection recently. Hopefully the 59 stays in the family

[OrdinaryNimda]

Bernie Marsden, RIP

[jdgm]

An excellent guitarist - core British blues-rock - and a very genuine and down-to-earth guy by all accounts.  

He played perfectly-timed classic slow lead guitar on this remake of "Keep It Down" on Jack Bruce's final album....presumably using 'The Beast' (Gibson ought to buy it) and evoking both Kossoff, who owned the guitar, and SRV.   Folks, give this a listen -

 

R.I.P.  A life well lived.

Edited August 26, 2023 by jdgm

[IanHenry]

I remember seeing an article about Bernie's book release where he was knocking on doors & personally delivering them to addresses within reasonable travelling distance from him, he was quite a bloke.

 

RIP

[Guest]

I presume you, Rab's, met him at the same guitar show I did. I definitely met up with you there and played some of your guitars. (And JDGM).

 

He was playing 58/59/60 bursts. There was one of each. I asked how he was doing and he replied, "having fun playing guitars I can't afford". I said I'd like to play guitars he couldn't afford as well. 🤣

That's also when I connected with Matt from Monty's and that's why I now swear by Monty's PAFs. 

[Rabs]

3 hours ago, Farnsbarns said:

I presume you, Rab's, met him at the same guitar show I did. I definitely met up with you there and played some of your guitars. (And JDGM).

 

He was playing 58/59/60 bursts. There was one of each. I asked how he was doing and he replied, "having fun playing guitars I can't afford". I said I'd like to play guitars he couldn't afford as well. 🤣

That's also when I connected with Matt from Monty's and that's why I now swear by Monty's PAFs. 

Hmm, man that was a long time ago now. I was busy with my guitars sadly. I did have a moment to have a quick look about the show. I kinda remember seeing him about but didnt actually meet him.