10 of Jack White’s Coolest Rock ‘n’ Roll Collaborations

There’s very few people who have worked collaboratively with both Bob Dylan and Beyonce. Jack White is one of them.

White, co-founder of the White Stripes, member of multiple bands and accomplished solo artist, has made a name for himself striking the balance between global rock star and enigmatic creator.

“I kind of slowly picked the most difficult spot to live in, which is in the middle,” he told Rolling Stone in 2018. “It’s easier to be a gigantic pop star or to be an underground band and be the underdog. Because the scrutiny comes from two different directions. There’s people who want you to sound the same, there’s people who want you to do something different, there’s people who want you to be obscure, there’s people who want you to be on the radio on the way to work.”

Fortunately, there’s been a lot of people who are more than willing to meet White in that spot, sometimes in the studio, sometimes on a stage. Below, in no particular order, we’re taking a look at 10 of his coolest rock ‘n’ roll collaborations over the years.

1. The Rolling Stones, Shine a Light (2006)

We’re going to start with something that may be familiar to readers already: that time White joined the Rolling Stones for a performance of “Loving Cup” that was included in their 2008 concert film Shine a Light, directed by Martin Scorsese. (The show itself took place at the Beacon Theatre in New York City in 2006.) At one point around a decade ago, there were rumors that White could possibly produce or at least work on the next Stones album in some form. That never came to fruition, but it’s not too late…

 

2. Recording With Keith Richards (2009)

Speaking of Stones, it is true that White and Keith Richards got together in the studio in 2009. What became of those recordings remains unclear. “I don’t know if [Jack] ever considered that it was actually, like, master cuts,” Richards said to Rolling Stone in 2012. “But at the same time if Jack wanted to do it, I’d probably say, ‘Yeah.’ I know Jack pretty well. He’s a lovely player.”

 

3. Jimmy Page and the Edge (2008)

Usually people ask Jimmy Page questions about guitar parts, but in the below clip, you’ll see the Led Zeppelin guitarist asking White about his famous “Seven Nation Army” riff. Oh yeah, and the Edge from U2 is also in there, and by the end the three musicians are casually jamming. The clip is from the 2008 film It Might Get Loud, which dives into the work of all three guitarists.

 

4. “Two Fingers of Whiskey” With Elton John

Back in 2017, a documentary titled The American Epic Sessions saw various artists recording songs using vintage equipment. White teamed up with Elton John for a brand new song called “Two Fingers of Whiskey.” “I got to use the original machine from 1934 that Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong recorded on,” John explained to The Hollywood Reporter in 2013, “and I wrote a special song with Bernie [Taupin], and Jack White played on it. So it went straight to analog. That was a lot of fun.”

 

5. Beck, Guero Album (2005)

Beck may not be considered a classic rock artist by many, but it’s hard to deny his status in the world of alternative rock that White is also a part of. In 2005, White appeared as a guest on Beck’s album Guero, playing bass on a song called “Go It Alone.” White was also listed as a co-writer. (There would be more collaborations between these two over the years. In 2012, they put out a country-inspired song called  “I Just Started Hating Some People Today.” In 2022, White unexpectedly crashed Beck’s set in Nashville.)

6. “Red Headed Stranger” With Willie Nelson (2013)

“Do you wanna try that one?” Willie Nelson asks White at the beginning of the below clip, referring to Nelson’s “Red Headed Stranger.” White can’t contain his smile and requests that Nelson kick it off. This took place in 2013 when White hosted a tribute concert in honor of Nelson’s 80th birthday at White’s own Third Man Records headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. Not only was the event filmed for CMT’s Crossroads show, it was made into an album called Willie Nelson & Friends – Live at Third Man Records.

 

7. Jerry Lee Lewis: Live at Third Man Records (2011)

Speaking of live albums recorded at White’s Third Man Records main hub, a similar thing happened with Jerry Lee Lewis. On April 16, 2011 — that year’s Record Store Day — Lewis performed live while White manned the control board and the result was Jerry Lee Lewis: Live at Third Man Records. Lewis was backed by guitarist Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.’s), drummer Jim Keltner (Bob Dylan, Tom Petty) and bassist Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather).

 

8.  The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams (2011)

In 2008, Sony Music handed over a collection of unfinished Hank Williams lyrics to arguably the best person for finishing the job: Bob Dylan. Dylan completed one song, and then others joined in the fun, including White – whose song “You Know That I Know” can be heard below — Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Levon Helm, Sheryl Crow, Jakob Dylan and more. It was released in 2011, with White’s Third Man Records distributing the vinyl.

 

9. A Letter Home, Neil Young

If it wasn’t clear by now, White is also a very talented producer — his vinyl-focused Third Man Records has been distributing music since 2001. In 2014, White teamed up with Neil Young for Young’s 35th studio album, A Letter Home. It was made using one small recording booth, directly from microphone to vinyl — a technological yet retro process at the same time. “Jack and I are both into mechanical things,” Young told Rolling Stone then. “We’re kind of geeky, I guess.”

 

10. Various Live Performances: Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Jeff Beck and More

We probably could have written an entirely separate list for all the times White has appeared on stage with fellow rockers. Below are a handful of examples: Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and Jeff Beck. Play on.

Watch Jack White Perform ‘One More Cup of Coffee’ With Bob Dylan in 2007

Watch Jack White Perform ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ With Pearl Jam in 2018

Hear Jack White Perform ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ With Ringo Starr in 2025

Watch Jack White Perform With Jeff Beck in 2002