Steelhouse Festival 2024 has added a raft of special guests to its opening day extravaganza honouring Bernie Marsden, BernieFest, reports Planet Radio.

The late-great Bernie Marsden had a close bond with Steelhouse Festival, and he even named his instrumental track "Steelhouse Mountain" in the event’s honour on his posthumous album, Working Man.

In the wake of Bernie Marsden’s death aged 72 last summer, Steelhouse announced that the evening bill on Friday, July 26 is called BernieFest. BernieFest will include a full set of the man’s greatest work performed by the BernieFest All-Stars, featuring members of his final core band including FM’s Jim Kirkpatrick and former Skin vocalist Neville McDonald and Hand Of Dimes.

Steelhouse Festival has now announced the special guests performing on the Friday as part of BernieFest All-Stars, including Bernie’s Whitesnake bandmate Neil Murray on bass.

The BernieFest All-Stars set will also boast appearances from Thunder’s Luke Morley, FM vocalist Steve Overland, revered Cardinal Black guitarist Chris Buck, and two Planet Rock presenters - Toby Jepson (Little Angels/Wayward Sons) and contemporary blues chanteuse, Elles Bailey.

“Bernie Marsden wasn’t just an extraordinary guitarist and performer who played some unbelievable sets at Steelhouse,” says promoters Max and Mikey. “He became a part of the Steelhouse family, a friend and a sort of confidante. We’re so happy and grateful that this amazing collective of artists and Bernie’s friends would come together at a festival he felt at home at and celebrate his incredible life in music.”

Further details and ticket links at Planet Radio.