Susan Malone Salmon
 
As the daughter of a piano teacher, Susan -born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia - has been surrounded by music her entire life.

She began studying piano at age 3, and mandolin at age 7, attending Beck's Music Center. After her mother passed away, Susan found another gifted teacher in renowned film composer and pianist Carol Wardoch of Northeast Music School, and by age 15 was working professionally as a keyboardist and background vocalist with the wedding group Take Five. Several years later, as the lead singer of the rock group Ocean, Susan performed throughout the tri-state area, often playing opposite the famed Grease Band at the Bongo Room in Avalon, NJ. 
 
At age 19, Susan relocated to Las Vegas, where she spent a year playing lounges and showrooms. 
 
On her return to Philadelphia, Susan began learning guitar, studying rock, funk, blues and improvisation with local musicians Billy Zappasodi and Dave Strong, and jazz and classical techniques with Philadelphia-based
master musicians Al Stouffer and Joe Federico. 
 
In 1983, she became the lead guitarist and featured vocalist for Cheetah, a 7-piece all-girl rock band. With Cheetah, Susan toured from Quebec, Canada to Naples, Fla., playing such high-profile venues as the Hershey Park Amphitheater in Hershey, Pa., and the notorious Oasis in Wildwood NJ. An overseas tour, courtesy of the USO, followed, and Susan had the chance to bolster morale among our troops while performing at remote locations in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Bahrain, and Spain. 
 
In 1990, Susan joined high-energy lounge group Live Wire as a guitarist and vocalist, and performed at both Trump Taj Mahal and Trump Marina. 
 
In her career as a rock musician, Susan -- a prolific songwriter -- has performed her original songs at such well-known Philadelphia landmarks as The Khyber Pass and J.C. Dobbs, and has opened for national recording acts The Romantics and Scandal. 
 
In 1994, she resumed studying mandolin, this time with Barry Mitterhoff, and then joined forces with guitarist Michael Kraft to perform at Resorts Atlantic City. For the next 3 years, the duo developed their lyrical, romantic style, earning rave reviews from such celebrated audience members as Tony Danza, The Beach Boys, Tom Jones, and Merv Griffin. 
 
For the past 14 years, Susan and Michael, now joined by violinist Catherine Boyd, have brought their mandolin/ guitar/ violin artistry to the Bacchanal at Caesar's Atlantic City. 
 
Susan has studied violin with Alex Depue and guitar from Jimmy Bruno. Currently, Susan gives private lessons in both guitar and piano, and studies classical violin from Wallace De Pue.