jack white

Biography

Jack White, born John Anthony Gillis on July 9, 1975, in Detroit, Michigan, is an American musician, producer, and songwriter who has become one of the most influential rock artists of the 21st century. Before achieving international fame, White worked as an upholsterer by day while performing in underground Detroit bands, initially as a drummer. His breakthrough came in 1997 when he co-founded The White Stripes with fellow Detroit native Meg White. Despite divorcing in 2000, the couple continued performing together, presenting themselves as siblings to avoid public scrutiny. The White Stripes released seven critically acclaimed albums, including their self-titled debut (1999), the breakthrough album White Blood Cells (2001), the million-selling Grammy Award-winning Elephant (2003), and Icky Thump (2007), before officially disbanding in 2011.

Beyond The White Stripes, White demonstrated remarkable musical versatility through multiple concurrent projects and collaborations. He founded The Raconteurs in 2005 with Brendan Benson and established The Dead Weather in 2009 with Alison Mosshart of The Kills, returning to his original instrument on drums. White also pursued a solo career beginning in 2012 with his debut album Blunderbuss, followed by the critically acclaimed Lazaretto (2014), which broke the record for the largest sales week for a vinyl album since SoundScan began tracking in 1991. In 2008, he collaborated with Alicia Keys on "Another Way to Die," the theme song for the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, making them the only duet to perform a Bond theme.

White's influence extends beyond performance into production and entrepreneurship. He established Third Man Records in Nashville after relocating from Detroit, and has produced albums for other artists, most notably Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose (2004), which won Grammy Awards for Best Country Album and Best Country Collaboration. To date, White has won 12 Grammy Awards across eight different categories with 34 career nominations, and was honored with the Producers & Engineers Wing "President's Merit Award" in 2017. His artistic legacy encompasses blues rock and garage rock genres, characterized by minimalist aesthetics, technical innovation, and a devotion to analog recording formats, particularly vinyl.

Fun Facts

• Jack White initially worked as a professional musician as a drummer for the Detroit cowpunk band Goober & the Peas at age 19, before transitioning to guitar and vocals with The Upholsterers while apprenticing as an upholsterer
• White proposed to his girlfriend Olivia Jean onstage during The White Stripes reunion tour concert on April 8, 2022, in Detroit, Michigan, and the two married onstage that same night
• Lazaretto (2014) was the first album White recorded digitally in his entire career, marking a significant departure from his long-standing resistance to digital recording
• White's devotion to vinyl is so strong that Lazaretto incorporated technical innovations specifically designed for turntable users, and the album broke the record for the largest sales week for a vinyl album since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991

Associated Acts

• The White Stripes - original (1997–2011-02-02)
• The Go (1998–1999)
• 2 Star Tabernacle
• The Raconteurs
• The Dead Weather
• The Upholsterers
• Jack White and The Bricks
• Goober & the Peas - electric guitar

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Brian Muldoon - Master upholsterer and early musical mentor who co-founded The Upholsterers with White, helping him transition from drums to lead vocals and guitar (The Upholsterers) [Early 1990s]

Key Collaborators

• Meg White - Co-founder and guitarist of The White Stripes; former wife who continued performing with White after their 2000 divorce (The White Stripes (7 albums including White Blood Cells, Elephant, Icky Thump)) [1997-2011]
• Brendan Benson - Co-founder of The Raconteurs with White (The Raconteurs) [2005-present]
• Alison Mosshart - Vocalist and co-founder of The Dead Weather with White (The Dead Weather) [2009-present]
• Alicia Keys - Duet partner on James Bond theme (Another Way to Die (Quantum of Solace theme)) [2008]
• Loretta Lynn - Artist whose album White produced and performed on (Van Lear Rose) [2004]
• Bob Dylan - Collaborator on various projects (Various collaborations) [2000s]
• Olivia Jean - Musician and wife; White proposed to her onstage during his 2022 tour (Personal collaboration) [2022-present]

Artists Influenced

• Multiple contemporary artists - White's work with The White Stripes and solo career influenced the garage rock and blues rock revival of the 2000s (The White Stripes discography, solo albums) [2001-present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Don't Hurt Yourself (feat. Jack White) (Lemonade)
2. Lazaretto (Lazaretto)
3. That's How I'm Feeling (No Name)
4. Another Way to Die (As I Am (Expanded Edition))
5. Conrad Tokyo (feat. Kendrick Lamar & Jack White) (We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service)
6. Archbishop Harold Holmes (No Name)
7. Love Is Blindness
8. Bless Yourself (No Name)
9. Old Scratch Blues (No Name)
10. Sixteen Saltines (Blunderbuss)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #alternative-rock, #art-rock, #blues-rock