Mulebone
Encyclopedia
Mulebone is an American
blues based duo of roots music specialist singer/guitarist Hugh Pool
and multi-instrumentalist John Ragusa.
Their original cassette release, Mulebone was recorded on ADAT
in Hugh's apartment in 1996 and sold several hundred copies on their repeated visits to Nantucket.
The group continued to perform, slowly expanding their area of operation and repertoire. In 1998 the duo took half the music that was on the original
cassette, recorded 5 new songs and put out a CD also entitled Mulebone. This one featuring their signature laughing donkey on the cover.
In 2000 the group got noticed by Alan Pepper, owner of the New York City venue, The Bottom Line, and a run of shows at the venue began. Over the
next 2 years Mulebone was twice featured on The Downtown Messiah, Commander Cody
, The Bob's, Lena Katroukis, Al Stewart, and Al Kooper
and the ReKooperators.
They were featured, along with Sweet Honey in the Rock
, Maria Muldaur
and David Grisman on the award winning Ellipsis Arts
compilation album
, American Lullaby. Their own album Mulebone, was a collection of traditionals, and charted in the Top 100 on the "Americana Roots Chart" for National radio airplay, as reported by the Album Network.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues based duo of roots music specialist singer/guitarist Hugh Pool
Hugh Pool
Hugh Pool is an American musician who plays guitar in a unique style that melds traditional Delta blues with country music and classic and psychedelic rock and roll. His instrument of choice is a National, a resonator guitar somewhat like a Dobro, played through a distortion pedal...
and multi-instrumentalist John Ragusa.
Biography
The combo originally formed in 1996 to play at the Brotherhood of Thieves on Nantucket Island.Their original cassette release, Mulebone was recorded on ADAT
ADAT
Alesis Digital Audio Tape or ADAT is a magnetic tape format used for the simultaneous digital recording of eight analog audio or digital audio tracks at once, onto a Super VHS tape that is used by consumer VCRs.- History :...
in Hugh's apartment in 1996 and sold several hundred copies on their repeated visits to Nantucket.
The group continued to perform, slowly expanding their area of operation and repertoire. In 1998 the duo took half the music that was on the original
cassette, recorded 5 new songs and put out a CD also entitled Mulebone. This one featuring their signature laughing donkey on the cover.
In 2000 the group got noticed by Alan Pepper, owner of the New York City venue, The Bottom Line, and a run of shows at the venue began. Over the
next 2 years Mulebone was twice featured on The Downtown Messiah, Commander Cody
Commander Cody
Commander Cody may refer to:*The stage name of George Frayne, leader of the rock and roll band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, and, informally, the band itself...
, The Bob's, Lena Katroukis, Al Stewart, and Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
and the ReKooperators.
They were featured, along with Sweet Honey in the Rock
Sweet Honey in the Rock
Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble. They are an American Grammy Award-winning troupe who express their history as women of color through song, while entertaining their audience. They have together worked from four women to the difficult five-part harmony...
, Maria Muldaur
Maria Muldaur
Maria Muldaur is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s...
and David Grisman on the award winning Ellipsis Arts
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, American Lullaby. Their own album Mulebone, was a collection of traditionals, and charted in the Top 100 on the "Americana Roots Chart" for National radio airplay, as reported by the Album Network.