Jack Russell, the band’s raw, silken co-founding lead vocalist of the American glam metal Great White, passed on Thursday aged 63. The death was announced on the musician’s social media. The singer had, in July 2021, posted a statement regarding his health challenges of Lewy body dementia and multiple systems atrophy.
“I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve,” Russell posted on Instagram on 17th July. “Goodbye words are not enough to clip this wagon of memories, love, and support; thank you for allowing me to live my dreams you made my life a wonder. ”
After the news came out that Russell had died, the guitarist and Great White co-founder Mark Kendall offered his condolences in an Instagram post. He described his one-time partner as ‘one of rock’s biggest champions’ with an ‘eternal voice.’
Jack Russell’s Early Life & Career
Jack Russell was born in Montebello, California, on December 5, 1960. His musical inspirations included Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and he was a vocalist with numerous bands in high school and later.
He came across Mark Kendall in a concert and started plotting to form a band known as Dante Fox. Influenced by the band manager Alan Niven and Kendall to change the name to “Great White” as that was Mark Kendall’s nickname and he had ‘very white hair and a very light complexion’, they called him the Great White.
In an episode of ‘That Metal Show’ of VH1 Classics aired in 2012, which focused on Great White, Russell was guesting and gave his side of the incident and that he was fit and wanted to play again.
Jack Russell’s Great White a hard rock band formed in 2011 brought out its first album in 2017 entitled He Saw It Comin’.
In August 2021, Jack Russell’s Great White released a sequel to Great White’s 1998 tribute album to Led Zeppelin titled Great Zeppelin II: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin. This was followed by a cover of “Whole Lotta Love” in July 2021.
Jack announced his Retirement.
Russell announced on July 17, 2024, that he is retiring from touring and stated that he is suffering from Lewy body dementia.