Former Great White singer Jack Russell has revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy. As a result, he has announced that he is retiring from touring.
Shared Russell in a statement [via Pollstar]:
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must announce my retirement from the road. After a recent diagnosis of Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy in May 2024, I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve. Words cannot express my gratitude for the many years of memories, love and support. Thank you for letting me live my dreams.”
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, and LDB is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease due the similarity of symptoms such as motor and muscle weakness and rigidity, as well as sleep disorders and hallucinations.
Russell has been touring under the name Jack Russell’s Great White after he exited Great White in 2011 due to health issues.
Russell had fronted the band since its formative years in the late ’70s, including Great White’s most successful run in the late 1980s that included hits with “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” “Rock Me,” and “The Angel Song.” He was also the band’s frontman during the tragic venue fire in 2003 at The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that took 100 lives.
The news of Russell’s diagnosis comes after the release of Russell’s autobiography, The True Tale of Mista Bone: A Rock + Roll Narrative via Gatekeeper Press. The book was penned by author Katelyn Louise “K.L.” Doty alongside Russell and features a foreword by Lita Ford, plus commentary from Eric Singer, Eddie Trunk, John Kalodner, Kip Winger, and more.