White grew up on the Isle of Wight, completely self-taught as a guitarist, having received his first guitar from his parents at the age of 10. He moved to Stockholm in 1965 at the age of 17, spending more than a year there playing in a trio called The Train. By 1970 he made his way to London and found work as a session player and as a member of Heavy Heart. During this time he met Peter Green and the two would form a lifelong friendship.
