Jack White of the White Stripes organized a band called the Do-Whaters that included the rhythm section from the Greenhornes, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler, plus Dave Feeny, another Detroit musician and producer. They became the backing band for Loretta Lynn on her universally acclaimed 2004 comeback album, Van Lear Rose, which was masterminded and produced by Jack White.
As quoted in Wikipedia: "Rhapsody ranked the album #16 on its Country’s Best Albums of the Decade list: 'Jack White, of the bizarre and bluesy duo the White Stripes, produced this effort to jaw-dropping effect. Van Lear Rose is a stripped-down effort that isn't afraid to get dirty – both in its dark subject matter and in its raucous, gritty tones. And as much as this body of work highlights [Loretta] Lynn's down-home vocals (which are as strong as ever), it's White's production that sends her crashing – literally – into the 21st century. On paper, these two disparate souls have little in common, but the bold excitement of the music proves the two are a match made in heaven.'"
At a later date, Jack White would perform the same magic for the 2011 album by Wanda Jackson, The Party Ain't Over. It is doubtful that I would have had a chance to see her in concert in Bay St. Louis without the career revival that this album achieved.
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Jack White's next musical project, the Raconteurs grew out of the Do-Whaters that had backed Loretta Lynn on Van Lear Rose; the band was organized in 2005 by Jack White, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler of the Greenhornes, and Brendan Benson (vocals, guitars, keyboards). Since a Queensland band was already using that name, they are called the Saboteurs in Australia. The Raconteurs was a high-profile band from the beginning, since Jack White was so well known.
Their first album, Broken Boy Soldiers was released in May 2006; it was named Album of the Year by the British magazine Mojo. The Raconteurs spent much of that year touring, including eight dates as the opening act for Bob Dylan in November 2006.
Another album, Consolers of the Lonely came out in 2008. By early 2010, the future of the Raconteurs was uncertain; Brendan Benson was quoted in February as saying: "I think we're all just really focused on other things." The band is on hiatus at present, though they have made several appearances during the past five years, including a partial reunion at one of Jack White's solo concerts in late January 2015, when Jack Lawrence and Brendan Benson joined White on stage during his encore performance.
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The Dead Weather is Jack White's current band and was organized in 2009; other bandmembers include Jack Lawrence of the Greenhornes, Dean Fertita (previously in Queens of the Stone Age – he also contributed to the Raconteurs album Consolers of the Lonely), and Alison Mosshart (lead singer of the indie rock band the Kills).
The genesis of the band sprung from a concert by the Raconteurs in Memphis, when Jack White lost his voice; he asked Alison Mosshart to fill in for him on vocals. He later asked her to record a song with him and Jack Lawrence, and they met Dean Fertita at the studio. The Dead Weather has released two studio albums, Horehound (2009) and Sea of Cowards (2010); Live at Third Man Records West came out between these two. Another album is promised in 2015.
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Soledad Brothers released two singles for Italy Records and Estrus Records in 1998 and 1999, plus a self-produced album in 1998 called Master Supertone having a truly tiny release (just 20 copies were pressed). Jack White had produced the band's second single, "The Gospel According to John", and its success led to the album Soledad Brothers that came out on Estrus Records in 2000. The other half of the White Stripes, Meg White contributed some percussion to the album also. Besides their shared passion for blues rock, there were also personal reasons that led to this collaboration. Jack White and Ben Swank had previously been roommates, and Johnny Walker played slide guitar on two tracks on the band's debut album, The White Stripes (1999): "Suzy Lee" and "I Fought Piranhas". Walker is also credited with teaching Jack White how to play slide guitar.
(February 2015)
