Great White

The Profile

Great White are an American hard/blues rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1977. They broke through in the late 1980s with Once Bitten and ...Twice Shy, powered by Mark Kendall’s tasteful, ’70s-informed guitar work and Jack Russell’s powerful vocals. Known for blues-soaked hard rock and memorable covers, they continued releasing albums into the ’90s and beyond.

Formed in Los Angeles (1977). Classic members include Jack Russell (vocals), Mark Kendall (guitar), Michael Lardie, and Audie Desbrow. Major hits include Rock Me and their cover of Ian Hunter’s Once Bitten, Twice Shy. The band was involved in the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island, which caused 100 fatalities. Following lineup splits, Jack Russell's Great White and Great White have operated separately.

DeBaser’s reviews paint Great White as a Los Angeles hard/blues rock outfit with sharp riffs and big hooks, spotlighting mid–late ’80s peaks like Once Bitten and ...Twice Shy and the blues-forward Hooked. The write-ups praise Mark Kendall’s tasteful, ’70s-rooted guitar and Jack Russell’s powerful vocals, noting standout tracks and well-chosen covers. Publicly, the band formed in 1977 and scored major U.S. success in the late ’80s. The 2003 Station nightclub fire, referenced in reviews, remains a tragic chapter in their history.