Jack Russell

Jack Patrick Russell (December 5, 1960 – August 15, 2024) was an American rock vocalist. He was a founding member of the hard rock band Great White.

Biography

Russell was born in Montebello, California, on December 5, 1960. He grew up with influences such as Robert Plant and Steven Tyler, and became a vocalist for many bands in high school and later on. He met Mark Kendall in a concert and began plans to form a band called Dante Fox. Band manager Alan Niven and Kendall decided to change the name of the band to Great White because "that was Mark Kendall's nickname. He had very white hair and very light complexion. They called him the Great White".

Russell was with Great White from 1981 until 1996, then took some time off to record and release his first solo album, entitled Shelter Me, having rejoined shortly after its release until the band broke up in 2001. He then tried touring solo under his own name briefly, then changed the band name to "Jack Russell's Great White" and toured from 2002 to 2005, while also releasing his second solo album For You in 2002. While touring as "Jack Russell's Great White", they played a club gig at The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island, where a deadly fire caused by pyrotechnics occurred, leading to the deaths of 100 people, including band member Ty Longley.

In 2006, he began touring with the official Great White band when they reformed with their classic lineup, but left the band in 2009 due to a fall in his bathroom where he cracked two vertebrae and herniated a disc. He had multiple back surgeries and was using a plethora of pain medication. Having fallen into alcoholism, the sudden death of his good friend Jani Lane of Warrant propelled him to get help and become sober.

Fully recovered, he started touring again as Jack Russell's Great White in December 2011 to avoid confusion with the still-touring official Great White band which had continued onward in 2009 with a different singer following Russell's departure.

In 2012, Russell guest-starred on VH1 Classics "That Metal Show", where he revealed his side of the Great White story, and how he was feeling well and ready for more.

In 2017, Jack Russell's Great White released their first album titled 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. In July 2021, a cover of "Whole Lotta Love" was released.

In January 2024, Russell released a collaboration album with L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, titled Medusa. This was Russell's final studio recording before his retirement and death.

On July 17, 2024, Russell announced that he was retiring from touring and disclosed that he was suffering from Lewy body dementia.

Nearly a month after announcing his retirement, Russell died on August 15, 2024, at the age of 63.

Personal life

In 1979, Russell was arrested for the attempted robbery of a drug dealer's home while high on phencyclidine. He fired a shot into the house that accidentally struck and injured the housekeeper, who survived the incident. Russell was sentenced to 8 years in prison, but was released after 11 months.

On March 25, 2011, he and his girlfriend Heather Ann Kramer were married.

Discography

• Shelter Me (1996)
• For You (2002)

• Out of the Night (1983)
• Great White (1984)
• Shot in the Dark (1986)
• On Your Knees (1987)
• Once Bitten (1987)
• Recovery: Live! (1988)
• Live at the Ritz (1988)
• ...Twice Shy (1989)
• Live at the Marquee (1989)
• Live in London (1990)
• Hooked (1991)
• The Blue EP (1991)
• Back Tracks 1986–1991 (1992)
• Psycho City (1992)
• The Best of Great White: 1986–1992 (1993)
• Sail Away (1994)
• Stage (1995)
• Let it Rock (1996)
• Rock Me (1998)
• Great Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (1998)
• Gallery (1999)
• Can't Get There from Here (1999)
• The Best of Great White (2000)
• Latest & Greatest (2000)
• Rock Champions (2000)
• Greatest Hits (2001)
• Recover (2002)
• Thank You...Goodnight! (2002)
• The Final Cuts (2002)
• Revisiting Familiar Waters (2003)
• A Double Dose (2004)
• Extended Versions (2004)
• Burning House of Love / Love Removal Machine (2004)
• Great White Salutes Led Zeppelin (2005)
• Rock Breakout Years: 1988 (2005)
• Once Bitten, Twice Live (2006)
• Rock Me: The Best of Great White (2006)
• Back to the Rhythm (2007)
• Rising (2009)
• Great White: The Essential Collection (2009)
• Great White: Absolute Hits (2011)
• Great White: Icon (2013)

• He Saw It Comin' (2017)
• Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes (2020)
• Great Zeppelin II: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (2021)

• Medusa (2024)

• "Stick It" (1984)
• "Substitute" (1984)
• "Streetkiller" (1984)
• "Face the Day" (1986)
• "Waiting for Love" (1986)
• "Run Away" (1986)
• "Rock Me" (1987)
• "Save Your Love" (1987)
• "Lady Red Light" (1987)
• "Mistreater" (1987)
• "Mista Bone" (1989)
• "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" (1989)
• "The Angel Song" (1989)
• "Heart the Hunter" (1989)
• "House of Broken Love" (1989)
• "Call It Rock & Roll" (1991)
• "Congo Square" (1991)
• "Desert Moon" (1991)
• "Big Goodbye" (1992)
• "Old Rose Motel" (1992)
• "Love Is a Lie" (1992)
• "Sail Away" (1994)
• "If I Ever Saw a Good Thing" (1994)
• "My World" (1996)
• "In the Light (Live)" (1998)
• "Rollin' Stoned" (1999)
• "Ain't No Shame" (1999)
• "The Happy Song / Disco Cha Cha 2000" (2000)
• "Blame it on the Night" (2016)
• "She Moves Me" Music Video (2016)
• "Love Don't Live Here" (2017)
• "Sign of the Times" (2017)
• "Save Your Love" (2020)
• "Born to be Wild" (2020)
• "Whole Lotta Love" (2021)
• "Tell Me Why"
• "Next In Line"

• "Analog Kid" (1996)
• "Same Old Song and Dance" (1999)
• "Unchained" (2006)
• "Kickstart My Heart" (2008)
• "Dazed and Confused" (2009)
• "Blue Christmas" (2011)
• "Junk Funk" (2012)
• "Messing Around" (2012)
• "Another One Bites the Dust" (2013)
• "Eat the Rich" (2014)
• "We Will Rock You" (2014)
• "Junk Funk" (2015)
• "Messing Around" (2015)
• "Dust on a Grave" (2021)

(2022)