A Delta blues guitarist and singer. He gave his more famous cousin B.B. King his first guitar, a Stella. White himself is remembered as a player of National Steel guitars. He also played, but was less adept at, the piano.

Born near Houston, Mississippi, White started his career playing the fiddle at square dances. He claims to have met Charlie Patton early on; whether or not this is true, Patton was a large influence on White. He typically played slide guitar, in an open tuning.

He first recorded for the Victor label in 1930. His recordings for Victor, like those of many other bluesmen, fluctuated between country blues and gospel numbers. His gospel songs were done in the style of Blind Willie Johnson, with a female singer accentuating the last phrase of each line.

Nine years later, while serving time in the Parchman Farm state prison, he recorded for folklorist John Lomax.

Bob Dylan covered his song Fixin' to Die Blues, which aided a rediscovery of White in 1963 by guitarist John Fahey and E.D. Denson, which propelled him onto the folk revival scene of the 1960s. White and Fahey remained friends throughout White's life and he recorded a new album for Fahey's Takoma Records. Denson became his manager.

Later in life, White was also friends with fellow musician Furry Lewis and the two recorded an album together, mostly in Lewis' Memphis apartment.