Jack Russell, the original voice of Great White, has passed away at the the age of 63 from Lewy body dementia and multi-system atrophy. Russell was in Great White until 1996 and again briefly before 2001. After forming Jack Russell’s Great White, the singer’s life was forever changed by a tragic fire sparked by the band’s pyrotechnics in a Rhode Island night club where 100 people died, including his band mate Ty Longley.
Known for a heavy blues influence, especially after their debut EP, Great White made a big splash with a cover of Ian Hunter’s “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” but it was that EP that drew me to them, especially their cover of The Who’s “Substitute.” I saw them in their heyday supporting Night Ranger at the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba, Michigan in 1987, but my attention to those bands had largely diverted to the punk, indie, and alternative bands of the day and, while I enjoyed the concert and am now especially glad I went, probably didn’t appreciate them enough.
Jack had a great voice until the end, but was tortured by the demons of the fire, the death of a genre that had been unceremoniously replaced, and health issues for many years. Cheers to him for the mark he made and his undeniable talent.
Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
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