The guitarist, songwriter and unofficial spokesman for The White Stripes. He was born John Anthony Gillis in Detroit in 1975, and as a teenager started hanging around in Detroit's arty district. He played the drums in several bands like Goober and the Peas and picked up the guitar at the age of 15. He also worked as an upholsterer during his teenage years, and I read an interesting interview where he mentioned how he used to leave poems on the framework of furniture for other upholsterers, since they are the only ones who actually see a piece of furniture when it's completely stripped down. He married Meg White and took her name (becoming Jack White) in 1997 but they divorced in 1999.
The blues had a profound impact on Jack, and in interviews he often talks about his appreciation for Robert Johnson and Son House. The simplicity and authenticity of these artists is reflected in The White Stripes' music and in Jack's own life as well. Jack is also an avid taxidermist, fascinated by anatomy, death, etc. (In one interview we learned that Meg has a tiny stuffed mouse but Jack dismisses it, claiming it's only "comedy taxidermy".)
In my own mind Jack White is certainly one of the most interesting musicians and personalities today. Jack stands out from the average crowd of rock and roll stars by his incredible work ethic and his dedication to the most basic simplicity in his music. Both the official and unofficial White Stripes website (www.whitestripes.com and www.whitestripes.net, respectively) has tons of interviews that continually prove just how intelligent this man is, and that he's more than a novelty act in a red and white suit.