As recently as in July, Jack Russell announced on Instagram that he had been forced to put his music career on hold after being diagnosed with a dementia disease.
Great White had its heyday during the hair metal wave of the 1980s and toured with, among others, Guns N'Roses, Whitesnake, and Iron Maiden. With the song "Once bitten, twice shy", the group achieved its greatest success on the charts.
Great White disbanded in the early 2000s, but just a few years later, Jack Russell started touring again and playing the group's music. During a concert in Rhode Island in 2003, a fire broke out that claimed the lives of 100 people, including Russell's guitarist Ty Longley. Additionally, 230 people were injured in one of the worst fires ever at a concert in the USA.
The investigation found that the flammable insulation in the ceiling and walls around the stage was the cause of the fire spreading so quickly. In subsequent trials, the band's tour manager and the two owners of the concert venue were sentenced to long prison terms.
Jack Russell initially thought of quitting his career after the fire, but changed his mind and continued to play. Among other things, he went on a charity tour to benefit the survivors of the concert fire.
