Great White Lead Singer Jack Russell Dies at 63 — 1 Month After Retiring

Jack Russell, founding lead vocalist of the hair metal rock band Great White, died Thursday at 63.

The cause, according to Rolling Stone, was Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy. He had just announced the diagnosis and retired from touring a month ago.

Russell co-founded the band in 1977, staying with it until 1996. He returned in 2001, renaming it Jack Russell's Great White.

The band released nine studio albums, the most successful of which were "Once Bitten" (1987), "...Twice Shy" (1989), and "Hooked" (1991).

Their two Top 40 hits were the Top 5 smash "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" in 1989 and its follow-up the same year, "The Angel Song."

Tragically, during a Great White gig on February 20, 2003, 100 people died and 230 were injured at the infamous fire at The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The blaze, ignited by the group's pyro, killed the band's guitarist Ty Longley and resulted in multiple lawsuits that lingered for five years.

The fire remains the worst-ever fireworks accident in U.S history.

Russell is survived by his wife and son.