Mulebone

Mulebone is a partnership comprised of multi-instrumentalist John Ragusa and roots music specialist Hugh Pool. The launching pad for their musical expression is traditional blues. Equally at home in the worlds of Blues, Folk, and Roots music, Mulebone breaks new ground with an original sound that is soulful, agile and adventurous. Sometimes the Duo plays close to the source, at other moments they seem to float above it and take a new look as one seeing their home for the first time from a distant land.

W.C. Handy-winning author Don Wilcox wrote, “Mulebone takes old blues and folk music into space as well as anyone since Led Zeppelin covered Sonny Boy Williamson.”

NY Blues Hall of Fame Master Artist Hugh Pool plays the National Steel, electric, cigar box and acoustic guitars, harmonica, stomps on a boot-board, and sings lead vocals all with a mouth full of whisky and a giant heart. John Ragusa plays all manner of flutes, fifes and tin whistles, the cornet, conch shell, jews harp, and well … anything he can put his lips on. He also sings harmony vocals, perfectly complimenting Pool’s. The result is a sum greater than the parts; more sound, texture and groove than two people should be legally allowed to make.

Mulebone’s first four albums earned position in the Top 100 on the AMA Roots/Americana chart; and their album, “Keep On Movin,’” was the only independent release in the Top 40 for 12 weeks, and spent more than five months in the Top 100. Mulebone’s 6^th album “Cure for the Miseries” has just been released for their 2026 Summer Tour and is available at Mulebonemusic.com and on Bandcamp.

“Jump-out-of-your-seats! The NYC-based duo known as Mulebone is a self-contained showcase of American roots music. “

ALLAN PEPPER, THE BOTTOM LINE, NYC

“Some of the best blues you’re likely to hear this side of 1925”

JEFF RASPE, Music Wizard WBJB-FM; 90.5 “The Night”