Jack White Passes Along Meg White’s Regards as White Stripes Are Inducted Into Rock Hall, Shares Touching Parable About Duo’s Origins

The highly anticipated reunion of the White Stripes failed to materialize during their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at Los Angeles' Peacock Theatre. Meg White was not in attendance, a decision consistent with her retreat from public life following the band's dissolution nearly fifteen years ago. Her spirit, however, was a palpable force throughout the evening. Fellow Detroit icon Iggy Pop celebrated her in his speech as a "timeless beauty" with a powerful aura, while Jack White accepted the honor for the pair, ensuring his former collaborator was not forgotten.

Jack White directly addressed his partner's absence, revealing he had been in contact with her. He told the assembled crowd, "I spoke with Meg White the other day, and she said she's sorry she couldn't make it, but she is so thankful." He added that she had even helped refine his remarks for the night, noting, "She’s pretty good at that." He then delighted attendees by sharing a whimsical memory Meg had recounted, involving animals—including an elephant at the Detroit Zoo—halting to stare at them for no discernible reason.

To articulate the White Stripes' unique cultural impact, White drew parallels with other legendary creative teams, such as songwriters Leiber and Stoller, Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and the comedy duo Abbott and Costello. He posited that while these partnerships produced vast bodies of work, it was often a single, defining creation—be it the song "Stand By Me," the superhero, or the "Who's On First?" routine—that resonated most profoundly with the world. "I myself have been in a lot of bands that you probably never heard of," White mused, "but for some reason people especially connected with this one two-piece duo project that I was in called the White Stripes. We don’t know why these things connect with people, but when they do, it’s the most beautiful thing you can have." This phenomenon underscores how artistic success is often unpredictable, hinging on a mysterious alchemy that captivates the public consciousness.

His gratitude extended to a broad spectrum of influences, from country legend Loretta Lynn to the aggressive punk of Black Flag. He also offered thanks to the very instruments of creation, stating, "To the factories and tools and electricity and vacuum tubes, we say thank you." He urged aspiring artists to "get your hands dirty and drop the screens and get out of your little room and get obsessed," championing a philosophy of hands-on, unmediated artistry. This ethos is deeply ingrained in the musical heritage of Detroit, a city famous for its gritty, self-made aesthetic that birthed everything from the polished soul of Motown Records to the raw power of proto-punk pioneers like the MC5 and The Stooges.

The ceremony's emotional peak arrived as White shared an original allegorical tale, a veiled account of the band's origins. He described a brother and sister building a parade float in their garage behind an oak tree and parading it through town to a mix of cheers and scorn. The story culminated with the duo bringing a smile to a stranger, whom White identified as God. He concluded with the words, "My sister thanks you and I thank you," a poignant nod to the sibling mythology that always surrounded the pair, despite their actual history as a married couple who divorced in 2000. The night closed with musical tributes from Olivia Rodrigo and Feist, who delivered a tender version of "We're Going to Be Friends," and Twenty One Pilots, who offered a stark, powerful performance of "Seven Nation Army"—a song Rodrigo had earlier declared "the most iconic song of all time."