Jack Russell, the lead singer of the rock band Great White in the 1980s, has died. He was 63 years old.
The rock band’s lead singer started the group in 1977. He died on Thursday surrounded by family and friends, his family said.
“Jack is loved and remembered for his sense of humor, exceptional zest for life, and unshakeable contribution to rock and roll where his legacy will forever thrive,” a Facebook post said.
The co-author of Russell’s autobiography, K.L. Doty, told Rolling Stone that he died of Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy.
Per the post, there will be a public memorial for the musician at a later time.
The singer’s wife Heather Ann Russell and son Matthew Hucko will miss him.
“JACK WAS GREAT”
A post on Thursday from Great White showed their “deepest condolences” to Russell’s family.
“We hope they take comfort in knowing Jack’s incredible voice will live on forever,” they told us.
“Himself and his fans loved rock music more than anyone else. So did his sons.”
“How do you describe someone who was with you through such a wonderful journey, both the good and the bad times? We’d rather have the music fill in the blanks. We will always remember the great times we had together.
“It was an honor and a pleasure to share the stage with him—many shows, many miles, and maximum rock,” they went on. Jack was great in the studio. He was always ready to work. He did work hard.
“Jack stuck around until he got the best music for every song.” Every show he did was just as good as the last. It was impossible to compare how consistent his live shows were.
The singer said in July that he was “retiring from the road.”
In the same post, he told his fans that he had been diagnosed with both Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy.
“I am unable to perform at the level I desire and the level you deserve,” he said.
“I can’t thank you enough for all the memories, love, and support over the years.”
“Thank you for letting me make my dreams come true.” “You’ve made my life wonderful.”
Russell’s autobiography about his life with K.L. Doty came out in July. It was called The True Tale of Mista Bone: A Rock and Roll Narrative.
GREAT WHITE
Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall started the band in Los Angeles in 1977.
During the middle of the 1980s, Great White’s albums Once Bitten (1987) and…Twice Shy (1989) were big hits.
Rock Me and Once Bitten, Twice Shy were two singles from the 1989 album.
Russell announced that the band was breaking up in 2001, a year after Kendall took a break to try to make it as a solo artist, but it didn’t work out.
From 2002 to 2005, he worked as a solo artist under Jack Russell’s Great White.
The two were performing with Jack Russell’s Great White in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in 2003 when a fire broke out.
In what is known as the Station nightclub fire, 100 people died and 230 were hurt.
A fireworks show set fire to the flammable acoustic foam around the stage, and the building was on fire in seconds.
It was the fire that killed the band’s guitarist, Ty Longley.
Russell wasn’t charged, but he and the band did settle a $1 million lawsuit with the fire victims. This was part of a $176 million settlement fund that was made available to everyone.
Russell and Great White got back together in 2006, but they broke up again in 2009 because Russell was having health problems.
Kendall kept touring with the Bad, and different singers filled in for Russell.
When the band played in July 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, it made news.