Great White

Great White is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1977. The band’s name derives from both the great white shark and a former stage nickname used by guitarist Mark Kendall. Great White rose to prominence during the mid-to-late 1980s, becoming one of the most recognisable acts of the era’s blues-influenced hard rock movement. By August 2008, the band estimated global record sales of approximately eight million copies.
The group achieved its greatest commercial success with the platinum-certified albums Once Bitten (1987) and Twice Shy (1989). Singles such as “Rock Me” and “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” received extensive airplay on rock radio and MTV, establishing Great White as a mainstream presence. Despite subsequent changes in popular music trends, the band continued releasing new material into the 1990s and beyond and remains active in various line-up configurations.

Formation and Early Career (1977–1983)

Vocalist Jack Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall first met in 1977 and decided to form a band together. Their early incarnations included the names Highway, Livewire, and Wires, reflecting a period of experimentation before a stable identity was established. In 1979, Russell was arrested and imprisoned following a violent incident, leading to the dissolution of the group and forcing Kendall to rebuild the band from scratch.
During Russell’s incarceration, Kendall recruited bassist Don Costa and drummer Tony Richards, auditioning several singers, including John Bush of Armored Saint. The band briefly featured a female vocalist, Lisa Baker, and adopted the name Dante Fox. After Russell was released from prison having served approximately eighteen months, he successfully auditioned and rejoined the band, becoming lead singer once again.
The group played its first show with Russell at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. Soon afterwards, they hired manager Alan Niven, who suggested a name change after witnessing an audience member refer to Kendall as “Great White”, a nickname inspired by his white-blonde hair, white guitar, and stage attire. The band formally adopted the name Great White.

Independent Success and Record Deal (1983–1986)

By 1982, the band’s line-up stabilised around Jack Russell, Mark Kendall, drummer Gary Holland, and bassist Lorne Black. They recorded a five-song extended play, Out of the Night, released on Niven’s independent label Aegean Records. Airplay on influential Los Angeles rock stations such as KMET and KLOS rapidly increased the band’s popularity, allowing them to headline major local venues and festivals while still unsigned.
In late 1983, EMI America signed Great White and released their self-titled debut album in early 1984. The band toured extensively, supporting Whitesnake in the United Kingdom and Judas Priest and Kiss across North America. Their follow-up release, Shot in the Dark (1986), marked the arrival of drummer Audie Desbrow and keyboardist-guitarist Michael Lardie, who became a full-time member after initially contributing as a session musician.

Mainstream Breakthrough (1987–1992)

Great White achieved mainstream success with the release of Once Bitten in 1987. The album produced several hit singles, including “Rock Me”, “Save Your Love”, and “Lady Red Light”, and received heavy rotation on album-oriented rock radio. Once Bitten was certified platinum in 1988 and supported by an extensive international tour alongside bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Whitesnake, and Twisted Sister, as well as appearances at the Monsters of Rock festivals in Europe.
In 1989, Great White released Twice Shy, their most commercially successful album. It featured the band’s signature song, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy”, a cover of a track originally recorded by Ian Hunter. The single reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved gold certification. The album itself went platinum within months and later achieved double platinum status. Twice Shy earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance and was supported by a world tour featuring arena and stadium performances.
During this period, the band appeared in video compilations, charity concerts, and major televised events, including the American Music Awards. They also toured Japan for the first time and participated in large-scale US rock festivals.

Later Albums and Commercial Decline (1993–2001)

As musical tastes shifted in the early 1990s, Great White’s commercial momentum declined. Capitol Records released the compilation The Best of Great White: 1986–1992 in 1993, after which the band left the label. Subsequent albums such as Sail Away (1994) and Let It Rock (1996) received modest attention but failed to match earlier sales.
Despite reduced mainstream visibility, Great White remained active as a touring band, headlining clubs and theatres. Internal tensions, changes in the music industry, and declining sales eventually led to the band’s disbandment in 2001, with members pursuing solo projects and other collaborations.

Reunions, Tragedy, and Later Years (2002–present)

In 2002, Mark Kendall reunited with Jack Russell, touring under the name Jack Russell’s Great White. This incarnation of the band gained international attention following the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island, caused by onstage pyrotechnics. The tragedy resulted in 100 fatalities, including guitarist Ty Longley, and had a profound impact on the band’s history and public perception.
In 2006, the official Great White reformed with members of the classic line-up. In 2011, Jack Russell departed and resumed touring separately under the Jack Russell’s Great White name. Following Russell’s retirement and death in 2024, Great White continued without him, featuring a succession of lead vocalists including Terry Ilous, Mitch Malloy, Andrew Freeman, and later Brett Carlisle.