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Melanie Hansen
Lead vocal, harmonica and founder of Wagner Road Band
Melanie Hansen - Lead Vocals
Melanie is an incredibly talented and versatile vocalist, best known as the powerhouse voice behind Wagner Road. Her journey began at the tender age of three when she first sang in front of her family and friends. It wasn’t long before Melanie's vocal talents were showcased to a wider audience, with her first public performance alongside Ms. Susie from Sesame Street.
Throughout her school years, Melanie immersed herself in music, actively participating in chorus, jazz band, and various community and church choirs. Her passion for performance led her to star in multiple musicals, including Cinderella, Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street, and Annie, where she showcased her skills in singing, acting, and dancing. Melanie also took on a leadership role as a director of several musicals for Wayne Highlands School District, proving her versatility both on and off the stage.
At the age of 14, Melanie began vocal training with her coach Doreen Coleman, focusing on performance, vocal strength, piano and musicianship. She continues her vocal studies today, honing her craft with techniques of Ann Johns Ruckert and the legendary William Riley, the coach behind Celine Dion's signature sound. Melanie’s remarkable four-octave vocal range sets her apart, and she’s well-known for her unique and timeless rendition of the National Anthem, which has moved audiences at countless large-scale events across the USA, including county and state fairs, baseball games, and various motorsports events such as those at Bristol Motor Speedway and Las Vegas.
In addition to her solo performances, Melanie has been part of several successful bands over the years, including REDD, and Lake Scene, where she met Tom Groner and together the two of them formed Wagner Road, where her range and powerful vocals continue to captivate audiences.
Tom Groner
Guitar, Male Lead vocal, and founder of Wagner Road Band
Tom Groner - Guitar
Tom started his music journey in grade school. He started playing clarinet in 4th grade, but lost interest within a year.
His grandmother gave him an old acoustic guitar when he was 10 that had only three strings on it, but he loved it. He played on the guitar as often as he could and would try tuning it up even though he didn't know much about tuning.
At 13 Tom's brother started guitar lessons and after his lesson he would always study what his brother learned and go through his Mel Bay study books. After a while his brother lost interest, but Tom did not. Tom continued playing and teaching himself guitar.
When his family moved from PA to New York City he continued and met someone who was taking lessons and he said the teacher was fantastic. He started taking lessons for about a year until the teacher said he couldn't teach him anymore.
Tom has been in various bands since 15 years old in NYC.
Tom stopped playing for a while to raise his four kids. As they grew up he resumed playing with great players in Long Island with a band called The Friday Night Jammers. This group had great musicians and great people, but he had to move back to PA to take care of his mom whose health was failing. He happened to answer an ad in the local paper looking for musicians to start a band. That didn't work out well, but he met a fantastic singer by the name of Melanie and branched off and they started their own band Wagner Road, kicking ass ever since!
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Keith White
Guitar, vocals
Keith D. White - Bass
Keith’s love of differing genres of music started at an early age at home, where he heard the likes of Aerosmith, Steely Dan, Neil Diamond, & Vivaldi.
At around 10 years old he started playing the accordion, which was a short-lived experience, but lit the fire in him to play for others. At 13 he bought his first acoustic guitar and self-taught himself to play and learn the songs he grew up listening to. By the age of 15 he had traded it for his first electric guitar and proceeded to blow out the speakers on the home stereo emulating all the great guitarists he idolized growing up. By 16 he took up the tenor saxophone and started singing in his school chorale group. At 17 he formed his first band (of many) with his childhood friends as a lead guitar player and vocalist.
After graduating high school, he had the opportunity to play bass for a local church band, and found he enjoyed it as much, if not more, than playing guitar, and has continued to this day on bass. Since then, he has played on many stages, from churches to local bars to small theaters to Mohegan Sun Arena.
After a 2-year break from playing, he joined Wagner Road in February of 2024, where he has become an integral part of the backbeat and sound of the band.
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Pete Desalvo
Drums, Keyboard and Vocals
Pete DeSalvo - Drums/Keys
Peter P. DeSalvo, D.M.A., a native Long Islander and highly respected conductor and educator, has directed school All-County bands, orchestras, and jazz bands as well as numerous other ensembles for over 40 years in the NY Tri-state area. Dr. DeSalvo, retired as Director of Bands at Sayville High School, New York in 2012, and was, until recently, an Adjunct Professor at Five Towns College, Dix Hills, NY, where he directed and conducted the college wind ensemble and theater orchestra, as well as taught percussion lessons, pedagogy, conducting, and music history. He has been a PAS (Percussive Arts Society) member since 1976 and served on the PAS Education Committee for over 20 years, chairing the committee his last 6 years. Pete has also served as NY State Chapter President and Vice President.
Dr. DeSalvo began his formal education on drums at the age of five(5) and piano at age seven(7). He began playing club dates at the early age of twelve(12) with the help of his father, also a musician ( trumpet), and was the reason Pete gravitated towards music as a life long passion. Playing trumpet in elementary school and trombone in High School, Pete continued his percussion studies and eventually auditioned and was accepted as a percussion major in college. He earned his Bachelor of Music (BM) (cum laude) from the Crane School of Music, State University College at Potsdam, New York and received his Masters of Science (MS) from C.W. Post College of Long Island University, Greenvale, New York in Music Education. Pete also studied 5 years with his mentor/teacher, Henry Adler, and under the tutelage of Bryan Carrott, completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Five Towns College. His compositions are published by Bachovich Music Publishers and is a Grover Pro Percussion, Mike Balter Mallets, and Scorpion Percussion endorser.
Pete has played with many different bands, orchestras and ensembles throughout his lifelong musical career, with highlights of performing and conducting at Carnegie Hall, NYC, as well as opening for many top musical artists such as, Alabama, Charlie Daniels, Marshal Tucker, and even James Brown, while performing in large stadium venues with audiences of 25,000 to 45,000 people. Other professional credits include performances with Aaron Copland, Robert Shaw, Atlantic Wind Symphony, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Clark Terry, Milt Hinton, Marion McPartland, New York Voices, Hilary Cole, Ann Hampton Callaway, Gerry Niewood, Ray Anderson, as well as many regional theater productions at Patchogue Theater, Cider Mill Playhouse, and Gateway Productions. Being retired doesn’t mean that he has slowed down any. Pete currently maintains an active performing, recording, producing, teaching, and piano tuning career in Pennsylvania and has found a home as the drummer/percussionist that drives the northeast PA, award winning Wagner Road band.
Glenn Clark
Guitar, and Vocals
Glenn Clark joined Wagner Road in 2025 after playing guitar and bass in different bands in the
Scranton/Wilkes-Bare area. He started playing acoustic guitar at 12 but quickly moved on to electric
guitar. Inspiration struck from the bands of the 70s – Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and
others. In high school, Glenn met some other musicians, formed a band and continued to play with most
of those musicians, who he now considers great friends. Glenn got married and had two daughters,
which put his musical endeavors on hold. When the time was right, he returned to music and eventually
joined the band Phoenix. This is where he met and became friends with bassist Keith White, who
introduced him to the Wagner Road band.
Contact
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