Deemed "seriously ass-whoopin'" by Carlos Santana, guitarist Orianthi burst on the scene in 2009 thanks to the killer trifecta of Carrie Underwood, the Grammys, and the King of Pop. Born in Adelaide, Australia, Orianthi Panagaris was only six when she fell in love with the guitar thanks to her dad's record collection. Legendary names like Clapton, Hendrix, and Santana influenced her to take lessons, spending five years on the acoustic guitar before switching to the electric at the age of eleven. The guitar-heavy music of Def Leppard, Van Halen, and Whitesnake dominated her teens, and then at the age of 18, she met her hero when she was invited to jam with Santana during at soundcheck. That soundcheck evolved into a half-hour guest shot during that night's concert, and with Carlos' enthusiastic endorsement, she would go on to appear on-stage with acts like Prince plus ZZ Top, and earn a support slot on Steve Vai's 2007 world tour. Also in 2007, she would sign with the Geffen label and release the debut album Violet Journey. Having moved to Los Angeles, Orianthi's musicianship would be exposed to millions of television viewers when she joined Carrie Underwood's band for a 2009 Grammy Awards performance. That same year, an email invite arrived asking her to audition for Michael Jackson, who was putting together a band for a 50-date world tour. One blistering run through the "Beat It" solo and she was hired, but the King of Pop unexpectedly passed in June of that year. Orianthi would sing at the memorial service, and rehearsal footage of the guitarist backing the Jackson would be featured in the September 2009 film Michael Jackson's This Is It. Her second album, Believe, arrived a month later.