Meg White

== Early life ==

== Early life ==

Megan Martha White was born on December 10, 1974, in [[Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan]]. Born with Scottish heritage, name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Long |first=April |date=May 23, 2014 |title=Flashback Friday: The White Stripes |url=https://www.nylon.com/articles/nylon-cover-the-white-stripes |access-date=April 19, 2025 |website=[[Nylon (magazine)|Nylon]]|archive-date=December 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212162341/https://www.nylon.com/articles/nylon-cover-the-white-stripes |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/qa-the-white-stripes-jack-white-42728/|title=Q&A: The White Stripes' Jack White|quote=Well, Meg and I are half-Scottish.|date=June 13, 2007|access-date=April 6, 2026|website=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241014062238/https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/qa-the-white-stripes-jack-white-42728/|archive-date=October 14, 2024|url-status=live}} her parents are Catherine and Walter Hackett White Jr.{{snf|True|2004|loc=''Little Rooms''}}{{snf|True|2004|loc=''The White Stripes and the Sound of Mutant Blues''}} and she has an older sister.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|p=43}} She grew up in the middle class [[Detroit]] suburb of [[Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan]],{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pages=40-41}} describing her childhood as "pretty normal" and non-religious.{{Cite web |last=Gross |first=Terry |author-link= Terry Gross |date=June 9, 2005 |title=A White-Striped trip: 'Get Behind Me Satan' |url=https://www.npr.org/2005/06/09/4696110/a-white-striped-trip-get-behind-me-satan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726105208/https://www.npr.org/2005/06/09/4696110/a-white-striped-trip-get-behind-me-satan |archive-date=July 26, 2025 |access-date=November 7, 2025 |website=[[NPR]]}}{{Cite web |title=The unofficial White Stripes FAQ version 6 |url=http://www.whitestripes.net/faq.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430232816/http://www.whitestripes.net/faq.php#deadleavescdpromo |archive-date=April 30, 2007 |access-date=May 5, 2025 |website=whitestripes.net}} As a teenager, she lived in [[Hamtramck, Michigan|Hamtramck]] and graduated from [[Grosse Pointe North High School]].{{Sfn|Handyside|2004|p=27}}

Megan Martha White was born on December 10, 1974, in [[Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan]] to parents Catherine and Walter Hackett White Jr.{{snf|True|2004|loc=''Little Rooms''}}{{snf|True|2004|loc=''The White Stripes and the Sound of Mutant Blues''}} She has an older sister and Scottish heritage.{{cite web|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/qa-the-white-stripes-jack-white-42728/|title=Q&A: The White Stripes' Jack White|quote=Well, Meg and I are half-Scottish.|date=June 13, 2007|access-date=April 6, 2026|website=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241014062238/https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/qa-the-white-stripes-jack-white-42728/|archive-date=October 14, 2024|url-status=live}}{{sfn|Handyside|2004|p=43}} She grew up in the middle class [[Detroit]] suburb of [[Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan]],{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pages=40-41}} describing her childhood as "pretty normal" and non-religious.{{Cite web |last=Gross |first=Terry |author-link= Terry Gross |date=June 9, 2005 |title=A White-Striped trip: 'Get Behind Me Satan' |url=https://www.npr.org/2005/06/09/4696110/a-white-striped-trip-get-behind-me-satan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726105208/https://www.npr.org/2005/06/09/4696110/a-white-striped-trip-get-behind-me-satan |archive-date=July 26, 2025 |access-date=November 7, 2025 |website=[[NPR]]}}{{Cite web |title=The unofficial White Stripes FAQ version 6 |url=http://www.whitestripes.net/faq.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430232816/http://www.whitestripes.net/faq.php#deadleavescdpromo |archive-date=April 30, 2007 |access-date=May 5, 2025 |website=whitestripes.net}} As a teenager, she lived in [[Hamtramck, Michigan|Hamtramck]] and graduated from [[Grosse Pointe North High School]].{{Sfn|Handyside|2004|p=27}}

During her senior year, White met musician and fellow high school senior [[Jack White|Jack Gillis]] in Detroit.{{cite magazine |last=Klosterman |first=Chuck |date=October 2002 |title=Remember: The White Stripes by Chuck Klosterman |url=https://www.spin.com/2011/02/remember-white-stripes-chuck-klosterman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251203051225/https://www.spin.com/2011/02/remember-white-stripes-chuck-klosterman/ |archive-date=December 3, 2025 |access-date=January 15, 2026 |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]}} They formed a relationship and married in September 1996, with Jack taking her last name.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pp=24, 32}} They divorced in February 2000,{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pp=32, 82}} though the pair resided in a house Jack purchased from his parents until 2003. She took on bartending jobs to pay for college, then attended a culinary school to pursue a career as a chef; she stated that, at that age, she was "super-shy" and lacked direction.{{snf|True|2004|loc=''The White Stripes and the Sound of Mutant Blues''}} She notably worked at a restaurant in downtown [[Royal Oak, Michigan|Royal Oak]] with [[Electric Six]] drummer Corey Martin.{{Sfn|Handyside|2004|p=64}}

During her senior year, White met musician and fellow high school senior [[Jack White|Jack Gillis]] in Detroit.{{cite magazine |last=Klosterman |first=Chuck |date=October 2002 |title=Remember: The White Stripes by Chuck Klosterman |url=https://www.spin.com/2011/02/remember-white-stripes-chuck-klosterman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251203051225/https://www.spin.com/2011/02/remember-white-stripes-chuck-klosterman/ |archive-date=December 3, 2025 |access-date=January 15, 2026 |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]}} They formed a relationship and married in September 1996, with Jack taking her last name.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pp=24, 32}} They divorced in February 2000,{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pp=32, 82}} though the pair resided in a house Jack purchased from his parents until 2003. She took on bartending jobs to pay for college, then attended a culinary school to pursue a career as a chef; she stated that, at that age, she was "super-shy" and lacked direction.{{snf|True|2004|loc=''The White Stripes and the Sound of Mutant Blues''}} She notably worked at a restaurant in downtown [[Royal Oak, Michigan|Royal Oak]] with [[Electric Six]] drummer Corey Martin.{{Sfn|Handyside|2004|p=64}}

White married Jack White in September 1996, and they divorced in February 2000.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pp=32, 82}} She briefly dated musician Oliver Henry in the early 2000s, a member of Soledad Brothers, with whom she had previously collaborated.{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline |date=September 4, 2003 |title=Soledad Brothers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/sep/04/popandrock |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912023638/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/sep/04/popandrock |archive-date=September 12, 2014 |access-date=November 26, 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]]}} In May 2009, she married guitarist Jackson Smith, the son of musicians [[Patti Smith]] and [[Fred "Sonic" Smith]], in a small ceremony in Jack's backyard in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. They divorced in July 2013.{{cite news |date=May 26, 2009|title=Meg White and Jackson Smith wed in Nashville |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2009264040_apusmusicmegwhite.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020010717/http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2009264040_apusmusicmegwhite.html |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}{{cite court|litigants=Smith vs White|opinion=2013-805938-DO|court=Mich. 6th Cir.|date=2013|url=https://apps.oakgov.com/crts0004/main|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425084903/http://apps.oakgov.com/crts0004/main|url-status=dead}} ''Note: User-search required.''

White married Jack White in September 1996, and they divorced in February 2000.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|pp=32, 82}} She briefly dated musician Oliver Henry in the early 2000s, a member of Soledad Brothers, with whom she had previously collaborated.{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline |date=September 4, 2003 |title=Soledad Brothers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/sep/04/popandrock |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912023638/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/sep/04/popandrock |archive-date=September 12, 2014 |access-date=November 26, 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]]}} In May 2009, she married guitarist Jackson Smith, the son of musicians [[Patti Smith]] and [[Fred "Sonic" Smith]], in a small ceremony in Jack's backyard in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. They divorced in July 2013.{{cite news |date=May 26, 2009|title=Meg White and Jackson Smith wed in Nashville |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2009264040_apusmusicmegwhite.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020010717/http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2009264040_apusmusicmegwhite.html |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}{{cite court|litigants=Smith vs White|opinion=2013-805938-DO|court=Mich. 6th Cir.|date=2013|url=https://apps.oakgov.com/crts0004/main|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425084903/http://apps.oakgov.com/crts0004/main|url-status=dead}} ''Note: User-search required.''

White suffers from [[Anxiety disorder|acute anxiety]] and [[Self-esteem#Low|low self-esteem]], describing herself as "very shy". She told ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in 2005 that "the more you talk, the fewer people listen".{{Cite magazine |last=Fricke |first=David |date=September 8, 2005 |title=The White Stripes: Jack White comes clean |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-mysterious-case-of-the-white-stripes-75345/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217001242/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-mysterious-case-of-the-white-stripes-75345/ |archive-date=December 17, 2023 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US}} She said in 2006 that she "always kind of lived in her own world" and "never really cared about all the things that other people cared about", for example public recognition.{{Cite web |last=Jarmusch |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Jarmusch |date=May 12, 2006 |title=Interview: The White Stripes: getting to know the most interesting band in music today - Interview |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_4_33/ai_100572738/pg_4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512061833/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_4_33/ai_100572738/pg_4 |archive-date=May 12, 2006 |access-date=April 12, 2024}} She told [[Nylon (magazine)|''Nylon'']] in 2007 that for her, being recognized in public "is like if your boss came every morning and tapped you on the head to wake you up, it's like, not now." Jack said in a 2025 interview with [[Mojo (magazine)|''Mojo'']] that "For her to sit down behind the drum kit is insane. But then to get on stage and sing into a microphone? ...It was unbelievable, a miracle, a blessing from above, just a beautiful, beautiful thing."

White suffers from [[Anxiety disorder|acute anxiety]] and [[Self-esteem#Low|low self-esteem]], describing herself as "very shy". She told ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in 2005 that "the more you talk, the fewer people listen".{{Cite magazine |last=Fricke |first=David |date=September 8, 2005 |title=The White Stripes: Jack White comes clean |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-mysterious-case-of-the-white-stripes-75345/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217001242/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-mysterious-case-of-the-white-stripes-75345/ |archive-date=December 17, 2023 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US}} She said in 2006 that she "always kind of lived in her own world" and "never really cared about all the things that other people cared about", for example public recognition.{{Cite web |last=Jarmusch |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Jarmusch |date=May 12, 2006 |title=Interview: The White Stripes: getting to know the most interesting band in music today - Interview |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_4_33/ai_100572738/pg_4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512061833/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_4_33/ai_100572738/pg_4 |archive-date=May 12, 2006 |access-date=April 12, 2024}} She told [[Nylon (magazine)|''Nylon'']] in 2007 that for her, being recognized in public "is like if your boss came every morning and tapped you on the head to wake you up, it's like, not now.">{{Cite web |last=Long |first=April |date=May 23, 2014 |title=Flashback Friday: The White Stripes |url=https://www.nylon.com/articles/nylon-cover-the-white-stripes |access-date=April 19, 2025 |website=[[Nylon (magazine)|Nylon]]|archive-date=December 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212162341/https://www.nylon.com/articles/nylon-cover-the-white-stripes |url-status=live }}</ref> Jack said in a 2025 interview with [[Mojo (magazine)|''Mojo'']] that "For her to sit down behind the drum kit is insane. But then to get on stage and sing into a microphone? ...It was unbelievable, a miracle, a blessing from above, just a beautiful, beautiful thing."

During the [[2016 United States presidential election]], White made a joint statement with Jack criticizing [[Donald Trump]] after "Seven Nation Army" appeared in his campaign without their consent.{{Cite web |last=Krieg |first=Gregory |date=October 6, 2016 |title=The White Stripes give Trump an Icky Thump |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/06/politics/donald-trump-white-stripes-icky-thump/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912085712/https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/06/politics/donald-trump-white-stripes-icky-thump/index.html |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |access-date=October 1, 2024 |website=[[CNN]]}} After the Trump campaign re-used the song in the [[2024 United States presidential election]], she and Jack filed a [[Copyright infringement|copyright infringement lawsuit]] in September 2024.{{Cite web |last=Specter |first=Emma |date=September 10, 2024 |title=Trump has made a powerful new legal enemy, and it's…the White Stripes? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/trump-white-stripes-lawsuit |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910210653/https://www.vogue.com/article/trump-white-stripes-lawsuit |archive-date=September 10, 2024 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}} The lawsuit was dropped in November 2024.{{Cite web |last=Snapes |first=Laura |date=November 12, 2024 |title=The White Stripes drop lawsuit against Trump campaign for unauthorised Seven Nation Army use |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/12/the-white-stripes-drop-lawsuit-against-trump-campaign-for-unauthorised-seven-nation-army-use |access-date=December 3, 2024 |website=[[The Guardian]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260228074501/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/12/the-white-stripes-drop-lawsuit-against-trump-campaign-for-unauthorised-seven-nation-army-use|archive-date=February 28, 2026|url-status=live}}

During the [[2016 United States presidential election]], White made a joint statement with Jack criticizing [[Donald Trump]] after "Seven Nation Army" appeared in his campaign without their consent.{{Cite web |last=Krieg |first=Gregory |date=October 6, 2016 |title=The White Stripes give Trump an Icky Thump |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/06/politics/donald-trump-white-stripes-icky-thump/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912085712/https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/06/politics/donald-trump-white-stripes-icky-thump/index.html |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |access-date=October 1, 2024 |website=[[CNN]]}} After the Trump campaign re-used the song in the [[2024 United States presidential election]], she and Jack filed a [[Copyright infringement|copyright infringement lawsuit]] in September 2024.{{Cite web |last=Specter |first=Emma |date=September 10, 2024 |title=Trump has made a powerful new legal enemy, and it's…the White Stripes? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/trump-white-stripes-lawsuit |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910210653/https://www.vogue.com/article/trump-white-stripes-lawsuit |archive-date=September 10, 2024 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}} The lawsuit was dropped in November 2024.{{Cite web |last=Snapes |first=Laura |date=November 12, 2024 |title=The White Stripes drop lawsuit against Trump campaign for unauthorised Seven Nation Army use |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/12/the-white-stripes-drop-lawsuit-against-trump-campaign-for-unauthorised-seven-nation-army-use |access-date=December 3, 2024 |website=[[The Guardian]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260228074501/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/12/the-white-stripes-drop-lawsuit-against-trump-campaign-for-unauthorised-seven-nation-army-use|archive-date=February 28, 2026|url-status=live}}