Cloth Eared Mule

Cloth Eared Mule are a North East-based American Old Time duo featuring Matt Ord and Sid Hibbert. Between them, fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals shape a set built around traditional tunes and songs from the Appalachian mountains and beyond.

Their repertoire moves between old-time fiddle tunes, ballads and songs associated with the pre-Dust Bowl era, alongside more recent material. The compact two-person line-up keeps the arrangements close and conversational, with enough instrumental variety to let a full set move naturally between lively tunes and more reflective songs.

Although the source material comes largely from American traditions, the duo are firmly part of the North East folk circuit. Regional appearances at listening rooms and venues including The Globe in Newcastle have given Cloth Eared Mule a distinctive place within the area’s acoustic and traditional-music landscape.