NEW YORK — Jack Russell, the lead singer of the ’80s bluesy metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and who was leading his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire, has died. He was 63.
A statement posted on his Instagram page on Thursday said, “Jack is loved and remembered for his sense of humor, extraordinary zest for life, and his unwavering contributions to rock and roll, where his legacy will forever flourish.” Kelley Doty, author of Russell’s autobiography “The True Tale of Mista Bone: A Rock Roll Narrative,” confirmed his death.
Russell recently stopped touring after announcing he has Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy, which causes loss of coordination and balance, as well as changes in speech.
Fellow metal stars mourned Russell’s death, with former Cinderella member Fred Coury writing on X: “The world has lost one of the nicest guys in the business and one of the great voices that ever flew over the airways in the 80s.” Poison singer Bret Michaels posted: “To my friend Jack Russell, such an amazing voice. RIP.”
A different version of Great White led by Russell – performing under the name Jack Russell’s Great White – was involved in one of the most tragic concerts in U.S. history in 2003. During a show at the Station nightclub in Rhode Island, the band’s pyrotechnics sparked a massive fire, causing a chaos as fans tried to escape. The fire killed 100 people, including the band’s guitarist, Ty Longley, and injured more than 200 others.
“It was a terrible tragedy,” Russell told The Roanoke Times in Virginia in 2010. “I wish we could go back in time and erase it. I wish I could do something about it. It was one of those things you don’t know is going to happen — there’s no way you can stop it from happening. You just pick yourself up and move on. You take what life gives you.”
Only two people were criminally charged – Station nightclub owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, and Great White tour manager Daniel Bichele, who set off fireworks without a permit. All three entered pleas to each other.
Great White performed benefit concerts after the fire to raise money for the Station Family Fund, a charity that helps people who have suffered severe burn injuries, children who have lost a parent, and others. The band agreed to pay $1 million to more than 300 people as part of the settlement.
Russell was a California native who joined Great White in 1981 and found success with his blend of blues and hard rock before he left to record a solo album. The band split up in 2001, and Russell produced a version under his own name.
Great White’s biggest hit was the Ian Hunter-penned song “Once Bitten, Twice Shy”, taken from the 1989 album “…Twice Shy”, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, helped by a popular MTV video. “The Angel Song”, an original song by Russell, reached No. 30 on the charts, and “…Twice Shy” sold nearly 2 million copies. The band would receive a Grammy nomination in the Best Hard Rock Performance category.
The band reunited with original members to celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2007, releasing a new studio album and spending the last two months touring Europe.
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