Orianthi is in both a professional and personal relationship these days with former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, but prior to that she spent three years in Alice Cooper's band. According to her former employer, it was tough to keep her, because Prince wanted her for his own projects.

Cooper tells Billboard that the two had never met. However, he said, "the only real relationship we ever had was he kept trying to steal Orianthi out of my band. Every time I talked to Orianthi she'd be on the phone and say, 'It's Prince again.' I said, 'Could you tell him that you're with me for about the next year' – kidding, of course. I know that he liked to have pretty girls in his band. Other than that I don't think I ever talked to the guy."

Had Prince gotten his way, it would have led to an embarrassment of riches on guitar, given Prince's own virtuosity on the instrument, something that Cooper believed was under-appreciated by most people. "Nobody really got how good of a guitar player he was – just a great, great guitar player," he continued. "Musicians knew how good he was. I don't think the public knew how good he was, though."

Orianthi left Cooper's band two years ago and has been been working on a new album with Sambora for much of that time. Cooper, meanwhile, quickly recruited Nita Strauss to replace her. He then roped in Joe Perry of Aerosmith and actor Johnny Depp to play guitar for his Hollywood Vampires project. They released a mostly covers record last year.
 
 

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