Jack White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack White
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White in 2021
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Anthony Gillis |
| Also known as | Jack White III |
| Born | July 9, 1975 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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John Anthony White (born July 9, 1975), known as Jack White, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He became famous as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. After the White Stripes, he started a successful solo career and worked with other bands.
Jack White began playing music in Detroit bands. In 1997, he formed the White Stripes with Meg White, who was his wife at the time. Their album White Blood Cells (2001) made them famous worldwide. They had a hit song called "Fell in Love with a Girl". Later, Jack White started two more bands: the Raconteurs in 2005 and the Dead Weather in 2009. In 2008, he sang "Another Way to Die" with Alicia Keys for the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.
As a solo artist, Jack White has released six albums that have been very popular. He also runs his own record label and studio called Third Man Records. He loves old instruments and recording music using older, analog methods. He has won 12 Grammy Awards for his music. Rolling Stone magazine has named him one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
Contents
Jack White's Early Life
John Anthony Gillis was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 9, 1975. He was the youngest of ten children. His family was Catholic, and his parents worked for the local church. As a child, he was an altar boy. He even had a small, uncredited role in the 1987 movie The Rosary Murders.
Jack White learned to play instruments from his older brothers. He started playing drums in first grade. At first, he liked classical music, but then he discovered rock bands like the Doors and Led Zeppelin. As a teenager, he fell in love with blues music. He especially liked blues guitarists like Son House and Blind Willie McTell.
When he was 15, he started learning to be an upholsterer (someone who fixes furniture). His friend, Brian Muldoon, taught him and also introduced him to punk music. They even formed a band called the Upholsterers. After his apprenticeship, Jack White started his own upholstery business called Third Man Upholstery. He used yellow and black colors for his business.
In high school, he met Megan White. They got married on September 21, 1996. Jack legally took her last name, White.
Jack White's Music Career
The White Stripes: A Rock Duo
Jack White started his first professional band, Goober & the Peas, as a drummer. He learned a lot about touring and performing. In 1997, Meg White began to learn drums. Jack felt it was "liberating and refreshing" to play with her. They formed the White Stripes and played their first show just two months later.
Even though they were married, Jack and Meg told everyone they were siblings. They always wore red, white, and black clothes. They started in Detroit's garage rock music scene. In 1999, they released their first album, The White Stripes. Their next album, De Stijl, became a cult classic.
In 2001, White Blood Cells made them famous. Critics loved their simple garage rock sound. A famous DJ in the UK, John Peel, said they were as exciting as Jimi Hendrix. Their 2003 album, Elephant, was also a big hit. Its first single, "Seven Nation Army", became their most famous song. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song and is now used as a sports anthem around the world.
Their fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan (2005), had a different sound with more piano. Their sixth album, Icky Thump (2007), went back to their blues and garage-rock roots. It was a big success, especially with vinyl sales. Jack White loves vinyl records because he likes "cracking open a new record and looking at large artwork."
In 2007, they had to cancel tours because Meg struggled with anxiety. The band later released a documentary about their Canadian tour. On February 2, 2011, the White Stripes announced they were breaking up. Jack said it was "to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band."
Other Bands and Collaborations
Jack White has worked with many other artists. In 2004, he produced and played on Loretta Lynn's album Van Lear Rose, which was very successful.
In 2005, Jack White formed The Raconteurs with Brendan Benson. They invited Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler to join them. Their first album, Broken Boy Soldiers (2006), was nominated for a Grammy. They even opened for Bob Dylan on tour.
Their second album, Consolers of the Lonely, came out in 2008 and also received a Grammy nomination. While touring, Jack White met Alison Mosshart from the band The Kills. They formed a new group called the Dead Weather in 2009. Jack played drums and sang, Alison sang, and they had a bassist and keyboardist. Their first album was Horehound.
In 2008, Jack White and Alicia Keys sang "Another Way to Die" for the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. The Dead Weather released their second album, Sea of Cowards, in 2010. Jack White also appeared in the 2009 film It Might Get Loud with guitar legends Jimmy Page and the Edge. He even wrote and recorded a solo song, "Fly Farm Blues", in just 10 minutes during the filming.
The Raconteurs took a break but reunited in 2018. They released their third album, Help Us Stranger, in 2019, followed by a tour. The Dead Weather released their third album, Dodge and Burn, in 2015.
Jack White's Solo Music
On April 24, 2012, Jack White released his first solo album, Blunderbuss. It went straight to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. He toured with two different bands for this album: an all-female band called The Peacocks and an all-male band called The Buzzards. Blunderbuss was nominated for several Grammys.
His second solo album, Lazaretto, came out on June 10, 2014. This album also reached number one. It broke the record for the most vinyl album sales in its first week since 1991. After touring for Lazaretto, Jack White took a break from live electric shows.
For his third solo album, Boarding House Reach (2018), Jack White worked alone. He was inspired by hip-hop artists. This album also debuted at number one. In 2021, he released "Taking Me Back", his first solo song since 2018.
In 2022, Jack White released two solo albums: Fear of the Dawn (a rock album) and Entering Heaven Alive (a folk album). He toured North America and Europe for these albums. During his first concert in Detroit, he proposed to his girlfriend Olivia Jean and they got married onstage!
In 2024, Jack White surprised fans by secretly releasing test pressings of his sixth solo album, No Name. It was officially released on August 2, 2024, and critics praised its return to his blues-rock sound. He started the "No Name Tour," playing shows in small venues around the world.
Other Projects
Film and TV Appearances
Jack White has also acted a little. He was in the 2003 film Cold Mountain and sang five songs for its soundtrack. He also played Elvis Presley in the 2007 movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. In 2016, he appeared on The Muppets TV show. He also helped produce the documentary film The American Epic Sessions (2017).
Third Man Records
Jack White co-founded Third Man Records in 2001. In 2009, he opened a physical location for his label in Nashville. He wanted a place with all the right equipment for recording music. Third Man Records releases music by Jack White and other artists, especially on vinyl records. Their slogan is "Your Turntable's Not Dead."
In 2015, Third Man Records joined TIDAL, a music streaming service. Jack White also partnered with a company called Shinola to open a store in Detroit.
Helping the Community
Jack White has given money to help his hometown of Detroit. In 2009, he donated almost $170,000 to renovate a baseball field in Clark Park. In 2013, he paid off $142,000 in back taxes for the Detroit Masonic Temple, saving it from closing. To thank him, the temple renamed its second largest theater the Jack White Theater.
He also gave $200,000 to the National Recording Preservation Foundation. This money helps restore and save old sound recordings. Jack White is also on the foundation's board. In 2016, he joined Nashville's Gender Equality Council.
In 2019, Wayne State University in Detroit gave Jack White an honorary degree. This was to recognize his dedication to Detroit and his contributions to the arts.
Jack White's Style
Instruments and Gear
Jack White owns many instruments. He loves vintage guitars, especially those linked to famous blues artists. He often has custom-made equipment. He plays guitar, bass, mandolin, drums, and piano very well.
With the White Stripes, he mainly used three guitars: a 1964 red Airline "JB Hutto" model, a 1950s Kay Hollowbody (like the one Howlin' Wolf used), and a 1915 Gibson L-1 acoustic guitar. He painted any equipment that wasn't red, black, or white to match the band's colors.
He uses special effects pedals to create his unique sound. One important pedal is the DigiTech Whammy, which changes the pitch of his guitar. He uses it to create a deep, rumbling "fake" bass sound, especially on "Seven Nation Army". He also uses old Fender and Silvertone amplifiers.
Jack White also plays other instruments like the marimba and electric piano. For the Dead Weather, he plays a special drum kit with two snare drums.
Musical Approach
Jack White strongly supports using old-fashioned analog equipment for recording music. He started recording songs with a friend on an old reel-to-reel tape machine in his attic. The White Stripes' first album was mostly recorded there.
As the White Stripes became famous, they were known for their simple, raw sound. Jack White's singing style is distinct, and his guitar playing is powerful and unique. His home studio in Nashville has only a few key pieces of old equipment, like a Neve mixing console and Studer tape recorders.
In the documentary It Might Get Loud, Jack White shows his simple style by building a guitar from a piece of wood, nails, a glass bottle, a string, and a pickup. He says, "Who says you need to buy a guitar?"
Jack White's Achievements
Jack White is known as one of the most important artists in the garage rock revival of the 2000s. He has won many awards, including twelve Grammy Awards from 33 nominations. In 2011, the mayor of Nashville named him "Nashville Music City Ambassador."
Rolling Stone magazine has listed him among the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Three of his solo albums have reached number one on the Billboard charts. In 2015, he received a medallion on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville. In 2017, he was honored by the Recording Academy for his dedication to the quality of recorded music.
Jack White's Personal Life
Jack White likes to keep his personal life private. He believes his personal life is not important to his art. He says, "the only thing that's going to be left is our records and photos."
He collects interesting historical items, like Lead Belly's arrest record and James Brown's driver's license. In 2015, he bought Elvis Presley's first-ever recording at an auction.
Jack White grew up in Detroit and is a big fan of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. He has often said that video games are a waste of time and doesn't let his children play them. However, his songs have appeared in video game trailers and soundtracks.
Relationships
From 1996 to 2000, Jack White was married to his bandmate Meg White. He legally took her last name.
From 2005 to 2013, he was married to British model and singer Karen Elson. They have a daughter and a son together.
In 2022, Jack White married American musician Olivia Jean. They live in Nashville, Tennessee.
Politics
In 2016, Jack White and the White Stripes spoke out when Donald Trump used their song "Seven Nation Army" in his campaign. They sold shirts that said "Icky Trump." Jack White supported Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2020 election. He said he trusted Sanders and believed the person with the most votes should win.
In 2022, Jack White left the Twitter platform. In 2024, he and Meg White filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump's campaign for using "Seven Nation Army" again without permission. They called Trump and his staff "fascists." The lawsuit was later dropped.
Jack White's Live Band
Jack White performs with a live band for his solo shows.
Current Members
- Dominic Davis – bass, backing vocals
- Patrick Keeler – drums
- Bobby Emmett – keyboards
Past Members (Selected)
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Discography
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Solo Albums
With the White Stripes
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With the Raconteurs
With the Dead Weather
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Filmography (selected)
- The Rosary Murders (1987) – uncredited altar boy
- Cold Mountain (2003) – Georgia
- Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) – Himself
- Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) – Elvis Presley
- It Might Get Loud (2009) – Himself
- Under Great White Northern Lights (2010) – Himself
- Portlandia, season 3, episode 1 (2012) – Himself
- The Muppets, season 1, episode 16 (2016) – Himself
- American Epic (2017) – Himself
- The American Epic Sessions (2017) – Himself
- Jack White: Kneeling at The Anthem D.C. (2018) – Himself
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) – Radio Show Actor
Books
- We're Going to Be Friends (2017) – based on "We're Going to Be Friends" by the White Stripes
Images for kids
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Jack White in 2021
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Meg White
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Karen Elson
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Olivia Jean
See also
In Spanish: Jack White para niños
