- - Jack White Gives Update on Reclusive Bandmate Meg White at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony

Jason BrowNovember 9, 2025 at 8:14 PM

0

The White Stripes entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, Nov. 8, and while Jack White attended the ceremony at Los Angeles' Peacock Theater, his White Stripes bandmate (and ex-wife) Meg White was not. But fans shouldn't be worried: Jack White assured fans that she's doing well before relaying a message from her.

"I spoke with Meg White the other day, and she said that she's very sorry she couldn't make it here tonight, but she wanted me to tell you that she's very grateful," said Jack White, 50, from the podium. "And to all of the folks who supported her in all the years, it really means a lot to her. She also helped me write all this…I sent these things to her. She checked it for me for a lot of punctuation and corrections. She's pretty good at that."

Iggy Pop and inductee Jack White of The White Stripes speak onstage during the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Peacock Theater on November 08, 2025Photo by Amy Sussman on Getty Images

Jack then shared something that Meg told him during this recent conversation. "She said, 'Do you remember, Jack? We used to walk around, and animals, for some reason, would stare at us. They would stop and stare at us for some reason. Even at the Detroit Zoo, an elephant did the exact same thing one time.' She just wanted me to tell you that," said Jack.

At the end of his speech, Jack White shared a parable that he was "gonna send [to] Meg" but didn't get a chance to do it. He told a story that mirrored their story, about a brother and sister who "so loved the world that they brought forth a parade float, one they built in their garage behind the oak tree with their own bare hands."

Jack White of The White Stripes speaks onstage during the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Peacock Theater on November 08, 2025Photo by Amy Sussman on Getty Images

"And with their bare hands," concluded Jack, "the two started to clap and sing and make up songs. And some people kept watching and swaying and moving. And then one person even smiled. And the boy and the girl looked at each other, and they also smiled, and they both felt the sin of pride, but they kept on smiling. Smiling from a new freedom, knowing that they had shared and made another person feel something. And they felt the person smiling at them was a stranger. So they didn't even know. But it wasn't just a stranger, it was God."

"My sister thanks you, and I thank you," he said at the end of the speech.

Why Was Meg White Not at the Hall of Fame

Meg White married Jack Gillis in 1996, and he took her last name, becoming Jack White. A few years later, the two formed a rock duo, dubbing themselves The White Stripes. Although their marriage fell apart (they divorced in 2000), their band continued to thrive.

In 2002, the band's mainstream breakthrough came in 2002 with the single "Fell In Love With a Girl" from their third album, White Blood Cells. From there, they would release three more albums: Elephant, Get Behind Me Satan, and Icky Thump. Initially, Jack and Meg pretended to be siblings before revealing their actual relationship.

For the naturally shy Meg, the fame soon became too much to bear. The White Stripes' last concert was July 31, 2007. Soon after, the band cancelled a fall U.S. tour, citing Meg's acute anxiety. Outside of a brief reunion in 2009 for a performance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, the band remained dormant until their breakup in 2011.

LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIENPhoto by NBC on Getty Images" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/frKrV91TUHlTdNLU7Fkwvw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_parade_744/2abd29c1d3c8d074ebfdffdc78944d5c>LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIENPhoto by NBC on Getty Images" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/frKrV91TUHlTdNLU7Fkwvw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_parade_744/2abd29c1d3c8d074ebfdffdc78944d5c class=caas-img>The White Stripes on LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIENPhoto by NBC on Getty Images

The band's statement said their breakup was "not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues, as both Meg and Jack are feeling fine and in good health. It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way."

Since then, Meg has retreated from the spotlight. The closest she came to an interview was with Ellemagazine in 2023, when journalist Melissa Gianninidetailed The White Stripes' rise to fame while attempting to speak with the reclusive drummer.

"I never really talked to Meg about it, but as their career went on, you could sense she was having a hard time dealing with the celebrity part of it," said Dave Buick, who ran the label that put out the first White Stripes singles. "I mean, I don't think I could deal with it either."

Meg and Jack White performing on stage Photo by Nicky J. Sims on Getty Images

One of Meg's close friends spoke with Giannini and said that "Meg is fine and that she's human, and as such has good days and bad days" when it comes to maintaining her mental health. "She spent 15 years traveling and touring and playing," the friend told Giannini. "It's not that odd to think that she just likes to be home."

Giannini eventually sent over a few questions for Meg to answer to the friend.

"The day after my deadline, I receive a text from Meg's friend," noted Gianni in 2023. "She apologizes for not getting back to me sooner, and confirms that Meg has declined to answer the questions I'd texted because it's still technically an interview, and she's said 'no' to so many that she can't start saying 'yes' now."

Related: Soundgarden Never Cared About the Rock Hall of Fame — Until Chris Cornell Did

This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”