Jack Russell, the former frontman of , has died at the age of 63. The news comes just a month after , having been diagnosed with two degenerative conditions, Lewy Body Dementia and Multiple System Atrophy. Confirmation of Russell's passing came in , which read, "With tremendous sadness, we announce the loss of our beloved Jack Patrick Russell - father, husband, cousin, uncle, and friend.
"Jack passed peacefully in the presence of his wife Heather Ann Russell, son Matthew Hucko, cousin Naomi Breshears Barbor, and dear friends Billy and Cheryl Pawelcik. "Details of a public memorial will be announced at a later date. "Jack is loved and remembered for his sense of humour, exceptional zest for life, and unshakeable contribution to rock and roll where his legacy will forever thrive.
"His family asks for privacy at this time." Russell was born in Montebello, California, in 1960, and decided he wanted to become a rock star at an early age, inspired by ' and Ringo Starr. He joined his first band aged 11, and hooked up with guitarist Mark Kendall to form Dante Fox after being released from an 11-month spell in prison in 1979.
Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! "I was extremely focused after that,” Russell told in 2013. “In fact, I was focused in jail. I would tell people, ‘I’m gonna be a rock star’, and they’d be ‘Like, man you’re in jail.
..’ I remember years later getting some fan mail from people .