Orianthi Panagaris (born 22 January 1985), better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8 in Australia and No. 17 in the US; her second album, Believe, received a worldwide release in late 2009. In 2009, Orianthi was named one of 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle magazine. She also won the award as "Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year" 2010 by Guitar International magazine.
Orianthi Panagaris was born in Adelaide, South Australia, and is of Greek and Australian descent. Orianthi first started learning piano and playing at the age of three and moving to acoustic guitar at the age of six. She learned to play the acoustic guitar at six at the encouragement of her father, started electric when she was eleven and left her school, Mercedes College, enrolling at Cabra Dominican College.
At the age of 15, she turned her focus to writing songs and so began her professional career. She has been playing in bands since the age of 14 in England and in France, and performed in her first stage show for Steve Vai at the age of 15. Orianthi met and jammed with Carlos Santana when she was 18. He invited Orianthi to get up and jam with him at soundcheck then later asked if she would join him on stage that night to jam at his Adelaide concert, Memorial Drive on 30 March 2003.
Orianthi independently released her debut studio album, Violet Journey in 2005, composing all the material, contributing guitar, vocals and drums on most cuts. She produced and mixed the final product at her home studio. Carlos Santana brought Orianthi to Paul Reed Smith's attention which led to her endorsement. Orianthi relocated to Los Angeles, signed with Geffen Records in late 2006 and struck a management deal with 19 Entertainment.
Orianthi has played with Prince, made a commercial for Panasonic HD, featured in the song Now or Never for Bratz: The Movie, played at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival, appeared in The New York Times business section promoting eco-friendly acoustic guitars, and opened for Steve Vai in the US
At such a young age, it is amazing how Orianthi has worked her way to play with the likes of Steve Vai, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and the late Michael Jackson just to name a few. Also, at age 24, she’s had a signature guitar engineered, developed and built by Paul Reed Smith’s guitar factory to meet all of her specifications. That’s quite impressive !
I hope you’re enjoying learning more about the successful female guitarists in the business. Over the years, there have been more of them than I’ve realized so I’m going to continue to share those names I uncover with all of you. Their music will live on with the like’s of Nancy Wilson from ‘Heart’, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett and many others. Clearly there are some key female rock guitarists whom we’ve all heard before but who I plan to listen to again to pick-up some new guitar riff’s for myself. I appreciate their music and would certainly like to be able to listen to them from time-to-time; that’s for sure.
Well, until next time ~
Musician By Night . . .
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