Megan Martha White, born on December 10, 1974, in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, is an American drummer celebrated for her role in the Detroit rock duo the White Stripes alongside Jack White. The pair became pivotal figures in the 2000s garage rock revival, selling over 5 million albums and earning six Grammy Awards. Meg's drumming style—raw, elemental, and stripped to its core—drew admiration from peers like Dave Grohl, Tré Cool, and Tom Morello.
Her path to music began while working at a Royal Oak restaurant, where she met Jack Gillis. They married in 1996, with Jack adopting her surname, and together they formed the White Stripes, inspired partly by Meg's fondness for peppermints. The duo first gained traction in Michigan's underground scene, releasing their self-titled debut in 1999. Though their marriage ended in divorce, they continued as a band, breaking through in 2001 with *White Blood Cells* and the hit single "Fell in Love with a Girl," which earned three MTV Music Awards. Their fourth album, *Elephant*, took home the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, while "Seven Nation Army" won Best Rock Song.
Beyond music, Meg appeared in Jim Jarmusch's *Coffee and Cigarettes* (2003) and the Detroit Cobras' "Cha Cha Twist" video. In 2007, acute anxiety forced her off tour for *Icky Thump*, their final album. The White Stripes disbanded amicably in 2011, and Meg has since retreated from public life, residing quietly in Detroit.
Her path to music began while working at a Royal Oak restaurant, where she met Jack Gillis. They married in 1996, with Jack adopting her surname, and together they formed the White Stripes, inspired partly by Meg's fondness for peppermints. The duo first gained traction in Michigan's underground scene, releasing their self-titled debut in 1999. Though their marriage ended in divorce, they continued as a band, breaking through in 2001 with *White Blood Cells* and the hit single "Fell in Love with a Girl," which earned three MTV Music Awards. Their fourth album, *Elephant*, took home the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, while "Seven Nation Army" won Best Rock Song.
Beyond music, Meg appeared in Jim Jarmusch's *Coffee and Cigarettes* (2003) and the Detroit Cobras' "Cha Cha Twist" video. In 2007, acute anxiety forced her off tour for *Icky Thump*, their final album. The White Stripes disbanded amicably in 2011, and Meg has since retreated from public life, residing quietly in Detroit.
