The Whites | |
|---|---|
 The Whites performing in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Fort Worth, Texas, United States Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Labels | Curb,Warner Bros.,MCA, Ridge Runner,Word,Koch, Skaggs Family |
| Members | Sharon White Cheryl White |
| Past members | Buck White |
The Whites are an Americancountry music vocal group fromFort Worth, Texas, United States. They consist of sisters Sharon White and Cheryl White, and, until his death, their father, Buck White. Sharon plays guitar, Cheryl is the bassist and Buck played the mandolin and piano. Formed in 1972, the trio has recorded multiple albums and charted multiple songs on theBillboardHot Country Songs chart. They are also known as frequent collaborators of country and bluegrass musicianRicky Skaggs, who is Sharon's husband. The group are frequent performers on theGrand Ole Opry, and becamemembers in 1984.
The Whites consist of Sharon White (born December 17, 1953), her sister Cheryl (born January 27, 1955), and their father Buck (December 13, 1930 – January 13, 2025).[1] Buck grew up playing music, and started playing at dances, wrestling arenas, and auditoriums; but did not really like the atmosphere.[2] Buck had two jobs when the sisters were growing up; a plumber by day, and piano and mandolin player by night.[3] He started really enjoying music when his family started playing together all around the world. In the beginning, Sharon took up bass when she was twelve, moving to guitar when Cheryl took over on bass.[3]
In the 1980s, they scored such hits as "You Put The Blue In Me", "Hangin' Around", "Give Me Back That Old Familiar Feeling", "Pins And Needles", "If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone)", "Hometown Gossip", and "When The New Wears Off of Our Love".[1]
In August 1981,[4] Sharon White marriedRicky Skaggs, who performed on several of the Whites' early releases.[1] In 1987, the couple released the hit song, "Love Can't Ever Get Better Than This".
In 1991, the Whites joined producersRandall Franks andAlan Autry on theIn The Heat Of The Night TV series album entitledChristmas Time's A Comin', performing on the track, "Let's Live Everyday Like It Was Christmas" (Sonlite/MGM/UA).
The Whites became members of theGrand Ole Opry in 1984 and were current regulars on the program inNashville, Tennessee. Their collaborative album with Ricky Skaggs, "Salt of the Earth" won the 2008Grammy for Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Album.
The Whites can be heard on theO Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack with the song "Keep on the Sunny Side". They also appear inDown from the Mountain, the documentary of a concert given by the soundtrack artists.[3]
The Whites were inducted into theTexas Country Music Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 16, 2008, inCarthage, Texas. They were inducted along withBuck Owens andMickey Newbury.
Also performing on the Grand Ole Opry with Buck, Sharon and Cheryl is Rosanna, better known as Rosie, the third of the four White sisters. She performs high harmony and occasionally does solo performance of the Mel Tillis classic "The Violet and the Rose".
Buck White died on January 13, 2025, at the age of 94. The group entered a short hiatus after his death, but returned to performing on the Opry in August 2025.
The Whites have been nominated for fiveCMA Awards (The Horizon/New Artist award 1983, Vocal Group of the Year 1983/1985 and Instrumental Group of the Year 1983/1985) and won the Album of the Year honour in 2001 for their contribution to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". In 1987, Sharon White and her husband Ricky Skaggs won the Vocal Duo of the Year award.
They also received Top Vocal Group nominations in 1982 and 1983 from theACM Awards and an album of the year nomination for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?".[2]
In 1984, they were inducted into theGrand Ole Opry.
In 1987, Sharon White and her husbandRicky Skaggs won theCountry Music Association Award for Vocal Duo of the Year.
Also for their contribution to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", The Whites won Album of the Year at the 2001International Bluegrass Music Awards. That same year, Sharon and Cheryl also received the Recorded Event of the Year award for their contribution to "Follow Me Back to the Fold: A Tribute to Women in Bluegrass". In 2006, they were awarded the IBMA's Distinguished Achievement Award for their contributions to the genre.
The Whites were among the artists honoured with the prestigiousGrammy Award for Album of the Year for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?".Salt of the Earth, their 2007 collaboration with Ricky Skaggs won them aGrammy Award for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album.
In 2007, The Whites and Ricky Skaggs received aGMA Dove Award for Bluegrass Recorded Album of the Year.
In 2008, they were inducted into theTexas Country Music Hall of Fame.
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Grass | ||
| Buck White & the Down Home Folks (as Buck White & the Down Home Folks) |
| — | — |
| In Person (as Buck White & the Down Home Folks) |
| — | — |
| That Down Home Feeling (as Buck White & the Down Home Folks) |
| — | — |
| Poor Folks' Pleasure (as Buck White & the Down Home Folks) |
| — | — |
| More Pretty Girls Than One (Buck White solo) |
| — | — |
| Old Familiar Feeling |
| 22 | — |
| Forever You |
| 37 | — |
| Whole New World |
| 42 | — |
| Greatest Hits |
| — | — |
| Ain't No Binds |
| 37 | — |
| Doing It By the Book |
| — | — |
| Give a Little Back |
| — | — |
| A Lifetime in the Making Music |
| — | — |
| Love Never Fails (Sharon White withBarbara Fairchild andConnie Smith) |
| — | — |
| Salt of the Earth (withRicky Skaggs) |
| 45 | 1 |
| Hearts Like Ours (Sharon White with Ricky Skaggs) |
| — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1981 | "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On" | 66 | — | N/a |
| 1982 | "You Put the Blue in Me" | 10 | — | Old Familiar Feeling |
| "Hangin' Around" | 9 | 5 | ||
| 1983 | "I Wonder Who's Holding My Baby Tonight" | 9 | 14 | |
| "When the New Wears Off of Our Love" | 25 | 34 | ||
| "Give Me Back That Old Familiar Feeling" | 10 | 16 | ||
| 1984 | "Forever You" | 14 | 30 | Forever You |
| "Pins and Needles" | 10 | 12 | ||
| 1985 | "If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone)" | 12 | 22 | Whole New World |
| "Hometown Gossip" | 27 | 36 | ||
| "I Don't Want to Get Over You" | 33 | — | ||
| 1986 | "Love Won't Wait" | 36 | 46 | Greatest Hits |
| "It Should Have Been Easy" | 30 | 44 | Ain't No Binds | |
| 1987 | "There Ain't No Binds" | 58 | — | |
| 1989 | "Doing It By the Book" | 82 | — | Doing It By the Book |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1987 | "Love Can't Ever Get Better Than This" (withRicky Skaggs) | 10 | 7 | Love's Gonna Get Ya! /Ain't No Binds |
| 2003 | "Closer to Home" (withBarbara Fairchild andConnie Smith) | — | — | Love Never Fails |
| 2004 | "Love Never Fails" (with Barbara Fairchild and Connie Smith) | — | — | |
| 2014 | "Forever's Not Long Enough" (with Ricky Skaggs) | — | — | Hearts Like Ours |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
