Karen Elson
From Stripespedia
Karen Elson is a British model and singer/songwriter. She is the ex-wife of Jack White, and the mother of their two children, Scarlett Teresa and Henry Lee.
Elson and White met after she starred in The White Stripes' music video for "Blue Orchid". The video's director, Floria Sigismondi, noted "you sensed an energy between them". They married on June 1, 2005 in Manaus, Brazil. The wedding took place in a canoe on the Amazon River. It was officiated by a shaman and later convalidated by a Roman Catholic priest. Manager Ian Montone was the best man and Meg White was the maid of honor. Official wedding announcements stated that "it was the first marriage" for both.
In 2006, it was revealed in the Sunday Times Rich List that White and Elson had a joint fortune of at least £20 million (US$37 million), which ranked them at seventh place in the list of entertainers under age 30 who were born or live in the United Kingdom, ahead of the likes of Orlando Bloom and Kate Winslet.
The White family resided in Brentwood, Tennessee, a suburb south of Nashville, where Elson managed a vintage clothing store called Venus & Mars. The boutique featured "high-end rare vintage garments and adornments to cheap and cheerful vintage dress and jewels.", and closed in November 2010. The couple announced their divorce in June 2011, throwing a divorce party to celebrate their sixth anniversary and the "making and breaking of the sacred union of marriage," according to the invitation sent to guests. In a press statement, the couple vowed to remain "dear and trusted friends and co-parents." The "swing bang hum dinger" took place on Friday, June 10, 2011.
Music
Elson released her debut full-length album, The Ghost Who Walks, on May 25, 2010. The album was produced by White, and was released on his label, Third Man Records. The album recieved generally favorable reviews, with Spin Magazine comparing her voice to both Jenny Lewis and Loretta Lynn. On September 2, 2010, Elson and her band performed on The Late Show With David Letterman. Elson is also a founding member and performer with the New York City-based political cabaret troupe The Citizens Band.
