Pittsburgh Singer-Songwriter Brad Wagner: Patch Spotlight

If you frequent some of Pittsburgh's most popular bars and restaurants, there is a good chance you've seen Brad Wagner perform.

Since the 1990s, this singer-songwriter has performed at a number of Pittsburgh venues, including the Riley's Pour House in Carnegie, Redbeard's on Mt. Washington, Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle in the Strip District, the Sports Grille in Cranberry and J. Gough's in Greenfield.

Patch has seen him live before and will tell you he's a riveting performer.

Patch cornered Wagner recently when he did not have his guitar nearby to defend himself and asked him about his music, pizza preferences and other things. His answers follow.

What made you get into performing?

I developed a passion for rock and roll early on but it was mostly Elvis and Buddy Holly, which came out of nowhere because it was the mid seventies and that music was already 20 years old. No one in my circle of family and friends was even remotely interested in music, so being a musician seemed like a fantasy. I thought I would be a disc jockey, because I already knew how to spin a record and used to do talk ups into my Radio Shack recorder. In high school, I became obsessed with Dylan, got an acoustic guitar and learned some chords, then I saw Springsteen at the Stanley Theater in ‘78 and I bought a telecaster and started looking for band mates.

Who are some of your favorite musical artists?

Elvis, Dylan, Springsteen and Petty.

Favorite thing in Pittsburgh that no longer exists?

The Bridge to Nowhere (the Fort Duquesne Bridge, which sat uncompleted for years in the 1960s due to the lack of right of ways to build its connection to the North Side). It felt like a perfect symbol for the city I grew up in. It was like, yeah we have a bridge in the middle of the city, but it stops in the middle of a river and we’re gonna leave it like that for a while because we’re Pittsburgh.

Most recent book read?

"Once upon a Time in Hollywood," by Quentin Tarantino. It has a lot more backstory than the movie, which I loved.

Movie you could watch any time?

"Godfather 1," "Goodfellas" and "Girl Happy" ( and I’m only through the G’s).

Favorite pizza topping?

Mineo’s, with the pepperoni under the cheese.

Early bird or late-nighter?

Both, with naps intertwined.

Favorite Pittsburgh restaurant?

Alla Famiglia on Warrington Avenue in Allentown.

Favorite adult beverage?

Bulleit Old-Fashioned.

Favorite Pittsburgh national celebrity, living or dead?

Sophie, the ballpark should be named Masloff Field.

Favorite local sports mascot: Steely McBeam, Pirate Parrot or Iceburgh?

Definitely McBeam. I mean, what is his purpose? It's like the Steelers don’t have cheerleaders, so they have a silly foam guy walking around with what appears to be a stolen piece of steel. The Pirate Parrot and Iceburgh are iconic and get the fans riled up, but the McBeamster just wanders around like some big dude everyone makes fun of.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I once cut the grass in my backyard into the shape of a baseball diamond and named it Hebner Field (after my favorite Pirate, 1970s third baseman Richie Hebner) and I’ve been a performing musician for 40 years and I’ve never partaken in an illegal drug. Not sure if the two are related, the test results were inconclusive.