White's initial professional music experience came in the early 1990s as a drummer in the Detroit country-punk band Goober and the Peas. Upon forming the White Stripes with his ex-wife Meg White, Jack White switched to guitar and vocal duties while Meg took over on the drums. (Jack and Meg White were for a time rumoured to be brother and sister, and did little to set the record straight finding the mystery to be good publicity; more recently they have publicly acknowledged the true nature of their relationship).
The critical and popular success of the White Stripes opened up new opportunities for White; in 2003 he was well-received in a featured role in the film Cold Mountain.
On December 13, 2003, White was involved in an altercation at a Detroit club with Jason Stollsteimer, lead singer of another band, the Von Bondies, and was arrested and charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault.