Joe Satriani
A guitar virtuoso who became the world's bestselling instrumental rock artist, teaching stars before conquering the charts himself.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American guitarist·Birthday: July 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Joe Satriani started as a teacher in the shadows, instructing future guitar heroes in a suburban music store. Then he stepped into the light with 1987's 'Surfing with the Alien,' an album that sent shockwaves through the guitar world. Its technical prowess was undeniable, but it was Satriani's melodic invention and singing tone that made complex instrumentals accessible to a mainstream rock audience. Dubbed 'Satch,' he never relied on vocal hooks, instead building entire universes of sound with his Ibanez guitar, from soaring anthems to funky, blues-inflected explorations. His consistent output and spectacular live shows, often as part of the all-star G3 tours, built a global fanbase and racked up Grammy nominations, securing his status as the definitive modern instrumental guitarist.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Joe was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Joe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the bestselling instrumental rock guitarist in history, with over ten million albums sold worldwide.
- Released the landmark album 'Surfing with the Alien' (1987), which went platinum and popularized instrumental rock.
- Has received 15 Grammy Award nominations for his instrumental work.
- Founded the recurring G3 concert tour, featuring rotating lineups of elite guitarists.
Did You Know?
He taught guitar to several famous musicians, including Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and Larry LaLonde of Primus.
A football injury ended his drumming aspirations at age 14, leading him to focus entirely on guitar.
He was briefly the touring guitarist for the rock supergroup Deep Purple in the 1990s.
Satriani's song 'Always With Me, Always With You' was played by NASA for astronaut Michael Fincke aboard the International Space Station.
““You can’t play it safe and expect to have a different result than everybody else.””
