Pete Orta

Who is Pete Orta?

Pete Orta born August 26, 1971 in Port Lavaca, Texas is a Christian rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter and music producer. He was a member of Christian rock band Petra from 1996 to 2000.

Born in Port Lavaca, Orta moved to Lubbock at age six. Despite the roughly 540-mile initial relocation from south to north Texas, Orta's family kept moving within Lubbock city limits. Orta attended Haynes Elementary School, Mackenzie Junior High School, Evans Middle School, Matthews Junior High School and Lubbock High School before graduating from Coronado High School.

Orta was given his first guitar—a red, no-brand toy—by his aunt when he was four, which he taught himself to play.

At age 18, Orta left home, and although he had a job, he couldn't afford to pay both rent and for the black Steinberger guitar he had financed from Jent's House of Music. Choosing his guitar over a home, he lived in his car, slept in open churches and showered at the YMCA for a year. He eventually landed a job at Jent's, where he fell under the tutelage of co-worker and revered local guitarist, John Ellis. Ellis was surprised by Orta's melodic lines and fast playing ability, which he says often don't go hand in hand. He was also surprised that Orta had never heard of music greats, like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin or Van Halen, all of which he had been deprived of hearing as a child with no electronics made available to him.