Orianthi

Orianthi Panagaris , known professionally as Orianthi, is an Australian singersongwriter and guitarist. She has played with Michael Jackson as part of his illfated This Is It concert series, and in Alice Coopers touring band. Her debut single According to You peaked at No.in Japan, No.in Australia and No.in the US her second album, Believe, received a worldwide release in late 2009. In 2009, Orianthi was named one of theGreatest 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 descent. She began playing piano at the age of three and, at the encouragement of her father, moved to acoustic guitar at the age of six. When she was eleven, she took up electric guitar and left her school, Mercedes College, enrolling at Cabra Dominican College. She also attended St Peters Collegiate Girls School for a short period. 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 ofand 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 onMarch 2003.

Source: Wikipedia