Jack Russell, the
gravel-voiced strawman of the Grammy-nominated 80s glam metal band Great
White, has died at age 63. While he would have hoped to be recalled for hits
like ‘Rock Me’ and ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy,’ his legacy is always marked by
tragedy.
In February 2003, Russell’s
spin-off group, Jack Russell’s Great White, was appearing for at the Station
Nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, when fireworks during the show catch a
fire that asserted 100 lives and wounded 230 others. It rests one of the
deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history. Among the victims was Great White's
guitarist. Although Russell was not charged, the band agreed to a $1 million
settlement, and the tragedy deeply affected him and his bandmates, leading to
their 2005 split. Various reunions followed, but Russell announced his
retirement in July due to declining health.
“I am impotent to perform at
the level I desire and at the level you earn . Words cannot express my gratefulness
for the many years of memories, love, and support,” he wrote, citing his
illness.
Russell's death is be
convinced by have been caused by Lewy Body Dementia and Multiple System
Atrophy. His family declared his passing on Instagram, remembering him for his
humor, passion for life, and lasting impact on rock music.
Russell co-founded Great White
in 1984 in Southern California, at first executing under the name Dante Fox.
The band’s biggest hit, "Once Bitten Twice Shy," reached No. 5 on the
Billboard charts in 1989 and earned a Grammy designation. After Great White dispersed
in the 90s, Jack Russell’s Great White was launched in 2002, just a year before
the calamitous nightclub fire.
Russell is lived by his wife,
Heather Ann Russell, and his son, Matthew Hucko, according to ‘The New York
Times’.
