Joe "Satch" Satriani is an instrumental rock guitarist. His success is notable in a genre typically unfriendly to instrumental musicians. Satriani has received 13 Grammy nominations, and he has sold more than 7 million albums worldwide. It is notable that while his non-musician fans tend to call him "Satch", other guitarists more typically call him "Saint Joe"; there are numerous t-shirts to this effect.
Satriani is recognized as one of the most technically proficient guitarists in rock. He has mastered nearly every performance technique on his instrument, including two-handed tapping, sweep picking, volume swells, tap harmonics, etc. He is also a renowned guitar teacher, whose students have included Steve Vai, David Bryson (Counting Crows), Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Larry LaLonde (Primus), and Charlie Hunter, Kevin Cadogen (Third Eye Blind) among others.
Joe Satriani was born on July 15, 1956, in Carle Place, New York. He was inspired to play guitar at age 14, after hearing Jimi Hendrix had died. 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. Word spread quickly, and Satriani was soon counted among rock's most talented guitarists.
In 1989, Satriani's song "One Big Rush" (originally released on Flying in a Blue Dream) was featured on the soundtrack to Say Anything. In 1994, Satriani joined the band Deep Purple to replace guitarist Ritchie Blackmore during the band's tour. In 1996, Satriani formed G3, a concert tour featuring three instrumental rock guitarists -- originally Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson.
Satriani (like Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci and other guitarists who emphasize technical command and precision in their playing) has been criticized by those who prefer simpler compositional styles. Nonetheless, fans of instrumental electric guitar music widely laud him as the most lyrical and soulful of contemporary virtuosos with an ear for a good tune and he . Since 1998 his albums have been, stylistically speaking, a departure from his earlier style delving into simpler, more widely accessible genres, such as blues, rock and roll and even techno. Nonetheless Satriani has maintained a large fan base throughout the world boyed on by the lasting influence of his earlier albums.
Satriani has endorsed Ibanez's JS Series guitars, and Peavey's JSX amplifier. Both lines were designed specifically as signature products for Satriani.
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