Meg White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meg White
White performing in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Megan Martha White
Born	(1974-12-10) December 10, 1974 (age 50) Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Rock alternative rock blues rock garage rock indie rock punk blues
Occupation(s)	Musician singer
Instruments	Drums percussion vocals
Years active	1997–2011
Labels	Warner Bros. V2 Third Man Sub Pop Sympathy for the Record Industry XL Italy

Megan Martha White (born December 10, 1974) is an American musician. She became famous as the drummer for the rock duo The White Stripes. She usually sang backing vocals for the band. Sometimes, she sang lead on their songs, like "In the Cold, Cold Night" and "Passive Manipulation".

Meg White started playing drums in 1997. She formed The White Stripes with her then-husband, Jack White, that same year. Their album White Blood Cells in 2001 made them famous worldwide. She also tried acting, appearing in the 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes. She was also in a 2006 episode of The Simpsons.

In 2007, a tour was canceled because Meg White had severe anxiety. The band stopped performing in 2011 after a long break. Meg White's drumming style is often called "simple" or "minimalistic" by music experts. She is known for being very private and shy. With The White Stripes, she won a Brit Award and six Grammy Awards. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine put her on their list of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time".

Early Life and Music Start

Megan Martha White was born on December 10, 1974, in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Her parents are Catherine and Walter Hackett White Jr. She has an older sister named Heather. She went to Grosse Pointe North High School. A classmate said she was "always the quiet, artistic type."

After high school, she decided to become a chef instead of going to college. She worked at a restaurant in Royal Oak. There, she met Jack Gillis, who was also a high school student and musician. They often visited coffee shops, music places, and record stores together.

Music Career

The White Stripes

How the Band Started

On Bastille Day in 1997, Meg White tried playing Jack Gillis's drums. She liked it and started learning. Jack said it felt "liberating and refreshing" when she played with him. They then formed The White Stripes. They pretended to be siblings to the public. They also only wore red, white, and black clothes.

Their first show was at the Gold Dollar in Detroit. They became popular in Michigan's underground garage rock scene. They opened for local bands like Bantam Rooster. In 1998, Dave Buick from Italy Records offered to pay for their first song. Their debut single, "Let's Shake Hands", came out in February 1998.

White at Club Shinjuku Jam, Tokyo in 2000

In 1999, the band signed with Sympathy for the Record Industry. They released their first album, The White Stripes. Critics said Meg White's drumming was "methodical, spare, and booming." After their divorce in 2000, Meg insisted they keep the band going. Their second album, De Stijl, was released in 2001. Rolling Stone said her drumming "forces a smile" because it showed you don't need a lot to make great blues rock. This album became popular in 2002.

Becoming Famous

The White Stripes became widely known in 2001 with their album White Blood Cells. Meg sang with Jack on "Hotel Yorba" and "This Protector". She also sang on the Loretta Lynn cover "Rated X". White Blood Cells was re-released by V2 Records in 2002. This made them a leading band in the garage rock revival.

The album included the hit song "Fell in Love with a Girl". This song won them three awards at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.

Their fourth album, Elephant, came out in 2003. Many people think it's the band's best work. This album helped Meg and Jack White become important figures in 2000s rock music. Elephant and White Blood Cells were listed among Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." Critics called Meg White's drumming on Elephant "hypnotic" and "explosively minimal."

"In The Cold, Cold Night" was the first song where Meg sang lead vocals. Her voice was described as "delicate and sweet." The song "Seven Nation Army" became the band's most famous song. It is now a popular sports anthem. Elephant won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. "Seven Nation Army" won the Grammy for Best Rock Song.

In 2004, she was in the band's first music film, Under Blackpool Lights. The band's fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan, came out in 2005. On this album, Meg used percussion bells, maracas, and tambourines. She also sang lead vocals on "Passive Manipulation." This album won the band their second Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.

Last Years of the Band

The White Stripes performing at the Wireless Festival in 2007

The White Stripes released their last album, Icky Thump, in 2007. It won Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Song. Meg provided backing vocals for "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)" and "Rag and Bone".

In 2007, the band canceled many tour dates because Meg White had severe anxiety. Jack White worked on other projects during this time. Meg White mostly stayed out of public view. In 2008, she briefly appeared on stage with one of Jack's other bands, The Raconteurs. Jack explained that Meg's anxiety was due to a very busy tour schedule.

White at Primavera Sound in Barcelona in 2007

On February 20, 2009, the band made their last live TV appearance. They performed "We're Going to Be Friends" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. A documentary about their Canadian tour came out in 2009. It was called The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights. The film showed their summer 2007 tour and behind-the-scenes moments.

On February 2, 2011, the band announced they were breaking up. They said it was not due to health issues or disagreements. They wanted to "preserve what is beautiful and special about the band." Meg White has not been active in the music industry since then.

Other Projects

Meg White appeared on the cover of Whirlwind Heat's single "Pink." She was wearing a bunny costume. She made her film debut with Jack White in the 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes. They were in a part called "Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil."

In 2004, White played Little Red Riding Hood in a music video for The Detroit Cobras. She also modeled for Marc Jacobs' 2006 Spring clothing line. Two of her photos were in ELLE magazine.

The White Stripes appeared on The Simpsons in 2006. The episode was called "Jazzy and the Pussycats". Meg White had said she wanted to be on The Simpsons before. She appeared with Jack in the 2009 documentary It Might Get Loud.

Artistic Style

Music Gear

White performing on her signature pair of peppermint-themed Ludwig Drums with Paiste cymbals in 2005

Meg White used a Ludwig Classic Maple drum kit. She also used Paiste cymbals. Her drums often had peppermint swirls on them. Jack White got the idea when he saw peppermint candy. He thought it would look good on her bass drum. This peppermint design became her signature look. It appeared in many live shows and music videos.

She used Paiste cymbals, including 14" Signature Medium Hi-Hats. She also used a 19" Signature Power Crash and a 22" 2002 Ride. For the Icky Thump tour, her bass drum had a button design. This was inspired by the clothes she and Jack wore for the album cover.

Meg White's Pearl Export bass drum, with its original peppermint design, is famous. It was used at the band's first show. Her "Pearly Queen" outfit from the Icky Thump album cover is also well-known. Both were shown in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "Women Who Rock" exhibition.

Influences and Drumming Style

Meg White's favorite artist is Bob Dylan. She also likes Loretta Lynn. She once said, "I don't want to know about my biggest idols." She prefers not to read their life stories.

She described her drumming as "primal." She said, "That is my strength." She explained that many drummers might feel strange being so simple. But she believes it was what the band needed. Jack White said, "Meg is the best part of this band." He added that it would not have worked with anyone else.

A writer for The New York Times said her drumming was "more sophisticated than many fans realize." She didn't just play like a machine. Instead, she played the music as a series of parts, each with its own feel.

Personal Life

Meg White and Jack White dated in the mid-1990s. They got married on September 21, 1996. Jack took her last name. They divorced on March 24, 2000. In May 2009, she married guitarist Jackson Smith. He is the son of musicians Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith. They divorced in July 2013. As of 2016, Meg White lives in Detroit. She loves peppermint, which inspired many of The White Stripes' designs.

Meg White has severe anxiety. She has said she is "very shy." She told Rolling Stone in 2005, "the more you talk, the fewer people listen." She keeps her private life very private. She rarely gives interviews. She said in 2006 that she never cared about being recognized. She finds it easy to live in her "own little world." She has not made any public appearances since 2009.

During the 2016 United States presidential election, Meg and Jack White criticized Donald Trump. This was because his campaign used their song "Seven Nation Army" without permission. They filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in 2024 when the song was used again. The lawsuit was later dropped.

Awards and Achievements

With The White Stripes, Meg White sold over 5 million albums. She won many awards with the band. This includes one Brit Award and six Grammy Awards. She was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.

Meg White has been recognized on several lists of great musicians:

• In 2012, VH1 listed her 81st on their "Top 100 Greatest Women in Music."
• In 2016, Rolling Stone placed her 94th on their "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time."
• In 2018, NME listed her 12th on "32 of the Best Drummers to Grace Rock ‘n’ Roll."
• In 2024, Consequence of Sound ranked her 88th on their "100 Best Drummers of All Time."

Discography

With The White Stripes

• The White Stripes (1999)
• De Stijl (2000)
• White Blood Cells (2001)
• Elephant (2003)
• Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
• Icky Thump (2007)

Film and TV Appearances

Films

Television Shows

Music Videos

• "Cha Cha Twist" (2004), by The Detroit Cobras

|

See also

In Spanish: Meg White para niños