
In 1978, Satriani moved to Berkeley, California, to pursue a music career. While he was teaching Vai, he was attending Five Towns College for studies in music.

He began teaching guitar, with his most notable student at the time being fellow Long Island native Steve Vai (both also went to Carle Place). The technically demanding Tristano greatly influenced Satriani's playing. In 1974, he studied music with jazz guitarist Billy Bauer and with reclusive jazz pianist Lennie Tristano. Satriani graduated from Carle Place High School. Satriani heard the news during football practice, where he then announced to his coach that he was quitting to become a guitarist. He was inspired to play guitar at age 14, after hearing of the death of Jimi Hendrix. His paternal grandparents were from Piacenza and Bobbio, while his maternal grandparents were from Bari. Satriani was born in Westbury, New York of Italian descent. Satriani has been the guitarist for the supergroup Chickenfoot since joining the band in 2008. He has worked with a range of guitarists during the G3 tour, which he founded in 1995. Satriani briefly toured with Deep Purple, joining shortly after another departure of Ritchie Blackmore from the band in November 1993. In 1988, Satriani was recruited by Mick Jagger as lead guitarist for his first solo tour. He is a 15-time Grammy Award nominee and has sold over 10 million albums, making him the bestselling instrumental rock guitarist of all time. Satriani went on to have a successful solo music career, starting in the late 1980s.

Early in his career, he worked as a guitar instructor, with many of his former students achieving fame, including Steve Vai, Larry LaLonde, Rick Hunolt, Kirk Hammett, Andy Timmons, Charlie Hunter, Kevin Cadogan, and Alex Skolnick. Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956) is an American rock guitarist, composer, songwriter, and guitar instructor.
