Metal Sludge — Sources close to the Jack Russell’s Great White camp have informed Metal Sludge that the band’s founder and lead singer Jack Russell has been hospitalized.

Word is that the singer is allegedly in ICU and had, or is about to have a surgery at a Southern California area hospital.

Also the word is, that Russell will not be performing this weekend.

Russell and his band are scheduled to perform this weekend but as of press time both shows are still on sale, however it appears Jack might not be making it.

In recent days, it appears that some fans have already heard similar rumors about the singer’s health, and have even posted about it on this weekend’s event pages for “The Canyon Club” on Facebook.

A fan named Jennifer wrote: “I exchanged messages with the band’s admin person, Veronica. It is true and he will not be singing until at least mid-November. I also told her that The Canyon say that they have not been advised of the change. We are screwed if we purchased tickets through Ticketmaster, as they won’t give refunds unless the show is cancelled. The band should have cancelled! Also, when I asked the Canyon via Facebook Messaging this morning, their social media person did say that it was true…so they DO know. Very frustrating.” (see screen capture below)

The same fan had stated she had previously commented about Russell not appearing at this weekend’s shows, and her comments were deleted from the event’s page.

Russell has had his fair share of battles with health problems over the years and it’s been well documented.

“He walks with a cane now and, until recently, he wore a colostomy bag surgically attached to his waist, a humbling reminder of his near death in 2010, after years of drug and alcohol abuse” wrote a Boston website in 2013 about the singer.

Talking about The Station nightclub fire in 2003 Russell spoke in that same 2013 interview titled “A decade of disconnect, drugs, decline” admitting: “After The Station, I was really down, was taking anything I could take,’’ he said. “I would just sit for hours and cry.’’

Russell has since been touring almost non-stop and recording with his new version of the band (since 2011) after parting ways with Great White, the version of the band he co-founded in 1977 with guitarist Mark Kendall.

According to their tour schedule, Jack Russell’s Great White is slated to appear this weekend at “The Canyon Club” on Friday October 1st in Montclair California, and on Saturday October 2nd at their sister venue also called “The Canyon Club” in Santa Clarita California.

Tickets for both events are still on sale according to Jack Russell’s Great White’s official website.

We’ll keep you informed as we hear more official information regarding Jack Russell and his health.

In the meantime, Metal Sludge wishes Jack a speedy recovery.