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JACK RUSSELL Says That Station Fire Memorial Foundation Is Refusing To Accept His Donation

January 16, 2013

Jack Russell of the band GREAT WHITE — whose pyrotechnics ignited the deadly blaze on February 20, 2003 at The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 and injuring hundreds more — last night announced that he was planning to mark the event's ten-year anniversary by donating the proceeds of his acoustic performance on February 7, 2013 at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, California to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. He has since released the following statement regarding the show:

"This morning my manager received an email from the Vice President of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, stating that they will refuse any donations from me to the foundation.

"'This is to respect the wishes of the families and survivors who do not wish to have any association with Jack or his GREAT WHITE … We do not want our name associated with ANYTHING Jack Russell or his band does. We do not want any donations or proceeds from anything he does.'

"That being said, the proceeds from the show on February 7 will be donated to a different charitable organization, to be determined shortly.

"I am saddened by the response of the foundation and the motives behind it, but we will put on a great show and make it for a worthy cause."

GREAT WHITE guitarist Ty Longley was one of the people who perished in The Station blaze, which became the fourth deadliest fire in U.S. history.

In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1 million to survivors and families of the victims of the fire. They then launched a multi-year benefit tour for the Station Family Fund.

Fan-filmed video footage of Jack Russell's December 7, 2012 acoustic performance at the Steel Mill Bar and Grille in Martins Ferry, Ohio can be seen below.

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