6. Orianthi
Orianthi is surprisingly unknown, considering both her talent and connections. She was lead guitarist for Michael Jackson's This is It tour, and lead guitarist for Alice Cooper. As well as this, her song Suffocated was even featured on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which as well as know is the Academy Award of guitar playing. Orianthi has been playing with bands since she was fourteen, scoring an opportunity to play with the great Steve Vai at only fifteen, and then opened for him after launching her solo career. At eighteen she was invited to jam with Carlos Santana, which led to her being endorsed by Paul Reed Smith. Not only this, but she won Guitar International's 2010 Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year. Suffice to say, lady's got skills. Unfortunately for Orianthi, her solo outings sounds like a hair-metal Taylor Swift which, though I guiltily adored, is not the most palatable genre for any man or woman. However if you can overlook the overwrought drama (or, if you secretly enjoy it a little bit) then Orianthi is definitely worth listening to if you enjoy gorgeous, soaring, and crazy-good solos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlj8m2hjEsc