How Much Was Deon Estus Worth At The Time Of His Death?

Fans of Wham! were deeply saddened to learn of the death of bassist Deon Eustis as announced on October 11, per the New York Post. Estus' death was announced via his official Twitter page. "It is with real sadness I post that Deon Estus passed away This Morning," the statement read. "Deon was mostly known as the third member of Wham! Deon was passionate about music and loved interacting with his loyal fans."

Those close to Estus offered their condolences following the news, including Wham! backup singer Shirlie Kemp, who wrote, "Shocked to hear the passing of such a lovely man. Spent so many years with Deon touring with Wham. God Bless..RIP." At this time, there is no news as to the cause of his death.

Estus had a storied career. Besides playing for Wham! He also played bass with Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, and Elton John, per the New York Post. When his former bandmate, George Michael, died in 2016, there was a lot of talk about his estate and will, per the Mirror. It's got fans wondering, just what was his former bassist's net worth at the time of his death?

First things first, Deon Estus was a private man. As a bassist for some of the biggest names of the 20th century, Estus was more comfortable next to the spotlight rather than in it. Estus' love of privacy makes knowing his net worth difficult, but we do know a few things that can help us make a pretty good estimate.

First, we know that Estus has been playing professionally since the '70s. Within a few years, he was successful enough that he was being hired by musicians abroad to accompany them on tour. In 1979, he went to Belgium with Marvin Gaye and loved Europe so much he stayed. "I left California and never came back to America; I stayed for 24 years," he told Like Totally 80s in 2011, adding that he eventually made his way from Belgium to Dublin. After a bit in Dublin, he got the call from George Michael, and that's when his career really took off.

After a bit of time with Wham!, Estus released his first solo album in 1989. The album included his single (which Michael collaborated on), "Heaven Help Me," which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. All of this to say that while Estus was a very private guy, he was also very successful. Some outlets estimate that his net worth was around $4 million at the time of his death, although it's likely it could be higher.