Great White guitarist Mark Kendall has opened up about his split from the band’s original singer Jack Russell, who died in August 2024 at the age of 63, speaking on 101 WRIF. Russell had announced his retirement from touring less than a month before his death following a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia.
Kendall addressed the reasons behind the split and explained what led to the end of their decades-long partnership. He stressed that the separation was not due to personal conflict between the two musicians.
“Jack Russell was a beautiful man and my best friend,” Kendall said. “We were connected at the hip our entire career. It was never personal. He declined to a point where he couldn’t even stand anymore, to where he was on stools performing and then kind of just crashed and burned to where he couldn’t perform at all.”
Kendall explained that the band encouraged Russell to seek help for his struggles. “So all we said was, ‘Just go get well, work on your addiction.’ And I tried to help him the best I can, because that’s all I do is work with alcoholics and addicts, practically on a daily basis. He had a little bit tougher time, and that happens. Some people have a little bit tougher time getting away from their drug of choice, and he was one of those people.”
Kendall emphasized that fans misunderstood the nature of the separation. “So it was never a personal thing, and that’s where I think the fans were confused. They think that we had some kind of personal falling out, but that wasn’t the case. We still loved each other. It’s just that he wasn’t able to get well.”
The guitarist went on to describe what happened after Russell did not recover. “So instead of getting well, he went and found another band to play with and wanted to take our name and make that be Great White. I couldn’t have that. That wouldn’t be fair. So, we ended up doing lawsuits and all that kind of stuff, so then it became kind of a pain in the butt.”
Kendall’s comments came following Russell’s death after his diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. The split between Kendall and Russell marked the end of a partnership that had defined Great White’s sound for decades.
Russell’s departure from Great White occurred in December 2011 when he was unable to tour due to multiple injuries including a perforated bowel and a shattered pelvis, which he linked to his struggles with alcohol and painkiller addictions. The medical crisis became the turning point in the band’s history, as Russell stepped away from performing while Kendall and the other members continued with the band name.
Tensions between Russell and his former bandmates escalated into legal action in 2012 when Russell sued over their use of the Great White name. Kendall, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Michael Lardie, and drummer Audie Desbrow countersued, claiming Russell’s behavior was damaging to the band’s reputation. The dispute was settled in July 2013, allowing Russell to perform as Jack Russell’s Great White while Kendall and the others continued as Great White.
Russell’s health deteriorated significantly in 2024. After receiving diagnoses of Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy in May 2024, Russell announced his retirement from touring. He died on August 7, 2024, at a friend’s home in Colorado from complications of these conditions. His death was announced publicly on August 15, ending the life of the voice that had defined Great White’s early sound.
