Joe "Satch" Satriani (born on July 15, 1956, in Westbury, New York and brought up in Carle Place, New York, USA) is an instrumental rock guitarist and teacher, and a recognized virtuoso of the rock guitar.
Satriani was inspired to play guitar at age 14 after hearing that Jimi Hendrix had died. Satriani reportedly heard the news during a football training session where he immediately confronted his coach and announced that he was quitting to become a guitarist. During the 1970s, Satriani moved to Berkeley, California to pursue a music career. When his friend and former student Steve Vai gained fame playing with David Lee Roth in 1986, Vai raved about Satriani in several interviews with guitar magazines. In 1987, Satriani's second album Surfing With the Alien produced popular radio hits, and was the first all-instrumental release to chart so highly in many years. Satriani also toured Australia with Mick Jagger in support of the Rolling Stones singer's solo album.
In 1989, Satriani released the album Flying in a Blue Dream. One Big Rush was featured on the soundtrack to the Cameron Crowe movie Say Anything. The Forgotten Part II was featured on a Labatt Blue commercial in Canada in 1993. Big Bad Moon, one of Satriani's few singles with personally sung vocals, was a big hit in 1991-1992.
In 1994, Satriani joined the band Deep Purple to replace guitarist Ritchie Blackmore during the band's Japanese tour. In 1996, he formed G3, a concert tour featuring three instrumental rock guitarists -- originally Satriani, Vai, and Eric Johnson. The G3 tour has continued periodically since its inaugural version, where Satriani and Vai are returning members, featured with a floating third member, including Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Fripp and more.
