Bernie Marsden net worth: Fortune explored as Whitesnake guitarist dies aged 72 

On August 24, 2023, Bernie Marsden, best known as the guitarist and co-founder of Whitesnake and for co-writing the majority of the band's biggest singles, passed away. The guitarist leaves behind a fortune of around $8 million to his wife, Fran, and his two daughters, Olivia and Charlotte.

The guitarist's death was announced by his family via a post on their official Instagram page, in which they stated:

"On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness we announce the death of Bernie Marsden. Bernie died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side."

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Bernie Marsden performed with various bands throughout his career, including Whitesnake and Alaska

Bernie Marsden derived most of his fortune from his career as a musician. The fortune is currently estimated to be around $8 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth.

While an exact breakdown of revenue is not available to the public, part of the revenue is derived from the continued income garnered by the musician's existing body of work each year, with the majority derived from savings from his earlier career decades.

The guitarist started his career with various local bands in his hometown of Buckinghamshire, England, when he was 17 years old. The singer quickly transitioned to being a gig musician with music acts such as UFO, Cozy Powell, Babe Ruth, and more.

The guitarist's career took off after he formed Paice Ashton Lord, a rock project formed as a collaboration between former Deep Purple band members Ian Paice and Jon Lord, along with their keyboardist friend Tony Ashton.

The band recruited Marsden after he passed their interview process, and subsequently, they released their sole studio album, Malice in Wonderland, on March 4, 1977. The album did not make the charts, and the band subsequently split. The album was reissued twice, adding to Marsden's revenue stream.

Bernie Marsden subsequently joined forces with David Coverdale and Micky Moody to form what would eventually become Whitesnake. Whitesnake earned Marsden most of his fortune and fame, with the band releasing their debut studio album, Trouble, in October 1978. The album was a moderate success, peaking at number 50 on the UK album chart.

The guitarist remained with the band for several subsequent albums, with the first notable album being the band's third studio album, Ready an' Willing, which was released on May 23, 1980. The album was a major success, peaking at number 6 on the UK album chart, and received a gold sales certification in the country.

The biggest success in that decade for Bernie Marsden and Whitesnake was their fourth studio album, Come an' Get It, which was released on April 6, 1981. The album received a gold certification in the UK and was also a major hit in Finland, Germany, and Sweden.

The last album the guitarist played with Whitesnake was Saints and Sinners. After that, David Coverdale put the band on hiatus to stay with his daughter, who was suffering from bacterial meningitis. After returning, Coverdale fired Coletta, the band's manager, as well as Marsden, Murray, and Paice, reforming the band with new members.

Following his departure from Whitesnake, the guitarist formed the band Alaska and continued his solo music career. Throughout the next few decades, he collaborated with artists such as Larry Johnson, Gary Fletcher, Jack Bruce, and more. The musician also produced an unnamed documentary on the blues scene in Mississippi, featuring Morgan Freeman.