Jack Russell (musician)

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Jack Russell
Jack Russell.JPG
Russell with Great White in 2008
Background information
Born (1960-12-05) December 5, 1960 (age 63)
Origin Montebello, California, U.S.
Genres Hard rock, heavy metal, glam metal
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active1981–present
Spouse(s)
Heather Ann Kramer
(m. 2011)

Jack Russell (born December 5, 1960) is an American rock vocalist. He is a founding member of the hard rock band Great White. [1]

Contents

Biography

Early life

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". [2]

Great White, solo albums & Jack Russell's 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.

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.

Personal life

On March 25, 2011, he and his girlfriend Heather Ann Kramer were married. [3]

Discography

Albums

Jack Russell

  • Shelter Me (1996)
  • For You (2002)

Great White

Jack Russell's Great White

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

Russell – Guns

  • Medusa (2024)

Singles

Guest appearances

(2022)

See also

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References

  1. Miller, Derric (March 9, 2012). "Great White vs. Jack Russell". Hard Rock Haven. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  2. Abruzzini, Krishta (May 28, 2015). "Michael Lardie of Great White on the split with Jack Russell; 'It was many, many years, and many things'". Metal Sludge. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  3. Callwood, Brett (August 23, 2017). "The Station Fire Still Haunts Jack Russell, but He's Making His Best Music in Years". LA Weekly. Retrieved May 19, 2021.