LOS ANGELES – all eyes are on Meg White as the White Stripes prepare to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Saturday night, with speculation swirling around whether the famously reclusive drummer will join Jack White onstage. The induction ceremony, streaming live on Disney+, marks a significant moment for the duo who abruptly ended the White Stripes in 2011, and raises the question of whether a rare public appearance from Meg is in the cards.
The White Stripes’ unique sound and minimalist aesthetic captivated audiences in the early 2000s, but their breakup was equally defined by its quiet finality. While Jack White has continued a prolific solo career and frequently performs White Stripes songs, Meg has largely remained out of the public eye. Her role in the band’s success, however, has been increasingly recognized as foundational to Jack White’s creative freedom. As musician Alison Case recently told the Detroit News, “Meg was like the canvas that permitted everything on the stage to breathe…she could stay with the plan; she wasn’t interested in controlling the situation.”
Case’s comments underscore a key element of the band’s dynamic: Meg’s willingness to support Jack’s vision.”Jack had a plan; he really understood how he wanted to present the band, and he needed the freedom to be able to do what he wanted to do. And Meg,I think,was a really foundational aspect of that,” Case saeid. “She was just the perfect person for the job.” While Jack White is expected to deliver the induction speech, the possibility of a performance – and Meg’s participation in it – remains unconfirmed.
The rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony begins at 8 p.m. Saturday at Peacock Theater in Los angeles.