Jack Russell, Great White Singer and Survivor of Nightclub Fire, Dies at 63 Jack Russell, the charismatic frontman of the rock band Great White, has passed away at the age of 63. Known for his powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence, Russell gained fame in the 1980s with hits like Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Russell's life was marked by both extraordinary musical success and profound tragedy. In 2003, he survived the devastating fire at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island, which tragically claimed the lives of 100 people, including his bandmate Ty Longley. The incident left a lasting impact on him and the music community. .

 Jack Russell, the singer who led the popular 1980s hard rock band Great White, as well as a spinoff group involved in one of the deadliest nightclub fires ever, died on Aug. 7 at a family member’s home in Southern California. He was 63.

The cause of death was Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy, as stated by K.L. Doty, the author of Mr. Russell’s autobiography. No other details were given.

Mr. Russell’s death was announced on his official Instagram profile on Thursday and confirmed by Ms. Doty. Great White also paid tribute to him on its Instagram page.

Mr. Russell co-founded Great White with guitarist Mark Kendall. The band, initially called Dante Fox, started performing in small clubs in Southern California in the early 1980s and became Great White in 1984. Their first big hit, “Rock Me,” reached No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1987.

Great White achieved success with their third album, which included their biggest hit, “Once Bitten Twice Shy.” The song reached No. 5 in 1989 and earned the band a 1990 Grammy nomination.

Mr. Russell briefly left Great White in 1996 to pursue a solo career but returned in 1999. By 2001, Great White had disbanded.

In 2002, Mr. Russell and Mr. Kendall formed Jack Russell’s Great White, hiring three new musicians and playing in small clubs. In February 2003, while performing at the Station Nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., the band’s pyrotechnics ignited a fire that killed 100 people, including Great White’s guitarist, and injured 230 others. It was one of the worst club fires in U.S. history.

The two brothers who owned the club, and installed the highly flammable soundproofing foam around its stage, and the band’s tour manager, who ignited the blaze, were charged in connection with the fire. Mr. Russell was not charged, but members of the band agreed to pay a $1 million settlement.

By 2005, Jack Russell’s Great White disbanded due to "the stress from lawsuits, inner band turmoil, and Russell’s substance abuse problems," according to the All Music Guide.

Great White reunited in 2007, but it was short-lived. Mr. Russell continued making music with Jack Russell’s Great White. In July, he announced on Instagram that he was retiring due to health problems.

“I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve,” Mr. Russell wrote. “Words cannot express my gratitude for the many years of memories, love, and support.”

Jack Patrick Russell was born on Dec. 5, 1960, in Montebello, Calif. He grew up in Whittier, Calif., and dropped out of high school to pursue music.

He is survived by his wife, Heather Ann Russell, and his son, Matthew Hucko.