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Born in Pelton, County Durham, England, White began learning to play the piano at age six and after switching to drums, played publicly with a local band at 13. He worked with a number of bands during the 1960s before being invited to join Ginger Baker's Airforce with Steve WinwoodStephen Laurence ( Steve ) Winwood (born May 12, 1948) in Birmingham Egland, was a part of the Birmingham Rhythm and blues scene from a young age, playing the Hammond organ and guitar, backing blues singers like Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker on their U in 1968Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is standardized as ANSI Standard X3. Nauru adopt his national anthem of the. The following year, 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i, White received a call from John Lennon (he thought it was a prankster) asking him to join the Plastic Ono BandThe Plastic Ono Band is the band John Lennon formed after he left the Beatles. Shortly before the Beatles disbanded, John Lennon collaborated with his newfound companion Yoko Ono on the experimental album Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins''. With the re for a show that became the hit album, Live Peace in Toronto. He also performed with Lennon on the legendary ImagineImagine recorded and released in 1971, was John Lennon's second solo album and generally considered his most popular. Lennon noted the popularity of the album but pointed out that the content of the album was similar to that of his less popular 1970 angst album and the single, Instant Karma . When Lennon introduced White to fellow BeatleThe Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 as part of their first tour of the United States, promoting their first hit single there, " I Want To Hold Your Hand". The Beatles were one of the most influential music groups of the rock era. Initially they affected the post alumnus, George Harrison, he was asked to perform on the All Things Must PassAll Things Must Pass is a triple album released in 1970 (see 1970 in music) by George Harrison, after the break-up of The Beatles. The triple album features two records of actual songs (many filled with religious themes), and a third containing the Apple album, including the single, My Sweet LordThe first number one single by ex- Beatle George Harrison, My Sweet Lord topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic in 1971. The song is widely regarded as Harrison's most famous solo effort and it was re-released after his death, at which time it al.

In 1972, White was touring with Joe Cocker when he received an invitation to join Yes. Three days after meeting with Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, White played at the first show of the group's US Close to the Edge tour. Despite the fact that White had spent time in the studio with the band and even tried playing some of the Close to the Edge material, it is something of a legend that he learned the entire repertoire of extremely complex music in just three days. White and the band gave each other three months to see if he fit in, and over thirty years later, he has appeared on every Yes album since, a feat matched only by Chris Squire.

In addition to his drum playing, White has played piano and written music for several Yes albums. He recorded a solo album, Ramshackled, in 1975. When he is not performing with Yes or travelling around the world conducting drum clinics, White spends time with his wife of over twenty years, Gigi, and their two children, Jesse and Cassi.