Bernie Marsden, the original guitarist for Whitesnake who co-wrote “Here I Go Again” and some of the band’s other hits, died Thursday, his family said. He was 72.
“On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness we announce the death of Bernie Marsden,” Marsden’s family posted on the guitarist’s social media pages. “Bernie died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side. Bernie never lost his passion for music, writing and recording new songs until the end.”
Marsden played with Whitesnake, a hard rock-heavy metal band, from 1978 to 1982, Variety reported. He was part of the band’s original lineup, along with lead singer David Coverdale, bassist Neil Murray, guitarist Mick Moody and drummer Dave Dowie, according to the entertainment news website.
In addition to “Here I Go Again,” Marsden co-wrote “She’s a Woman” and “Fool for Your Loving,” Entertainment Tonight reported.
“Here I Go Again” was from the group’s “Saints & Sinners” album from 1982, but it was re-recorded in 1987 by Whitesnake -- including Marsden -- and became the band’s biggest hit. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987.
Coverdale paid tribune to Marsden on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I’ve just woken up to the awful news that my old friend & former Snake Bernie Marsden has passed,” Coverdale tweeted. “My sincere thoughts & prayers to his beloved family, friends & fans. A genuinely funny, gifted man, whom I was honored to know & share a stage with.”
Good Morning…I’ve just woken up to the awful news that my old friend & former Snake Bernie Marsden has passed. My sincere thoughts & prayers to his beloved family, friends & fans. A genuinely funny, gifted man, whom I was honored to know & share a stage with
— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) August 25, 2023
RIP, Bernie XXX pic.twitter.com/KXwsDEICN6
Marsden was born in Buckingham, England, on May 7, 1951, according to Entertainment Weekly.
After leaving Whitesnake, he founded the band Alaska and released a pair of albums in the 1980s, USA Today reported. He mostly concentrated on his solo career and in 2021 he released “Kings,” a tribute to blues legends B.B. King, Freddie King and Albert King.
Marsden also released the album “Chess” in 2021 and “Trios” last year, according to the newspaper.
In 2017, Marsden published an autobiography, “Where’s My Guitar? An Inside Story of British Rock and Roll.”
