Jack Russell, Great White singer onstage during ’03 fire, dies

NEW YORK — Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy ’80s metal band Great White, has passed away at the age of 63. Known for hits such as “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me,” Russell was also the frontman of the band during the tragic 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island that claimed 100 lives, including that of the band’s guitarist, Ty Longley.

“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,” read a statement posted on his Instagram page on Thursday. The death was confirmed by K. L. Doty, author of Russell’s autobiography, “The True Tale of Mista Bone: A Rock + Roll Narrative.”

Russell had recently stepped back from touring after announcing his diagnosis with Lewy Body Dementia and Multiple System Atrophy, conditions that affect movement, coordination, and speech.

Fellow metal musicians have expressed their condolences. Ex-Cinderella member Fred Coury wrote on X, “The world lost one of the nicest guys in the business and one of the great voices to sail across the airways of the 80’s.” Poison singer Bret Michaels added, “To my friend Jack Russell, such an amazing voice. May you rest in peace.”

In 2003, a different lineup of Great White, performing as Jack Russell’s Great White, was involved in one of the deadliest concert tragedies in U.S. history. During a performance at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island, the band’s pyrotechnics triggered a rapid blaze that created a bottleneck as fans attempted to escape. The fire resulted in 100 deaths and over 200 injuries.

“It was a horrible tragedy,” Russell told The Roanoke Times in Virginia in 2010. “I wish we could go back in time and erase it. I wish there was something I could’ve done about it. This was one of those things where you don’t see it coming — there’s no way you can possibly see it coming. You just kind of pick yourself up and move on. You take what life gives you.”

The nightclub owners, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, along with Great White’s tour manager, Daniel Biechele, were the only people criminally charged in connection with the fire. They all reached plea deals.

Following the tragedy, Great White held benefit concerts to support the Station Family Fund, a charity assisting severely burned individuals, children who lost parents, and others affected by the fire. Additionally, the band agreed to a $1 million settlement with over 300 people.

Born in California, Russell joined Great White in 1981. The band garnered attention with its mix of blues and hard rock. Russell later left to pursue a solo career, and the band split in 2001, though Russell eventually reformed a version of the group under his own name.

Great White’s most famous hit, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” written by Ian Hunter, peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989, partly due to a popular MTV video. Another notable song, “The Angel Song,” reached No. 30 on the chart. Their album ”… Twice Shy” sold approximately 2 million copies and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.

The band reunited in 2007 with its original members to commemorate their 25th anniversary. They released a new studio album and spent the last two months that year touring Europe.

Source: AP News, CNN