In the music business since his teens, Mike Ragogna has been a singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, producer, arranger and even a songplugger. As an executive, Mike has performed A&R duties for various record labels, including EMI-Capitol, Universal, BMG, and Razor & Tie, where he produced and oversaw catalog compilations and reissues since the ’90s. He also has compiled and produced high-profile anthologies and reissues by such diverse artists as Joni Mitchell, Aerosmith, Sublime, Al Green, Toby Keith, Chris LeDoux, Joe Cocker, Crosby & Nash, Fats Domino, Joan Armatrading, Ringo Starr, The Beach Boys, Herb Alpert, Burt Bacharach, Gin Blossoms, Blues Traveler, Suzanne Vega, Joan Baez, John Hiatt, Astrud Gilberto, Carly & Lucy Simon, Flying Burrito Brothers, Jimmy Cliff, Poco, Hall & Oates, Joe Jackson, Graham Parker, Rush, Sammy Hagar, Scorpions, Whitesnake, Cinderella, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Pat Benatar, Three Dog Night, 38 Special, Robert Palmer, Tears For Fears, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Peter Frampton, Humble Pie, The Tubes, The Strawbs, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Harry Nilsson, Neil Diamond, Cher, Carpenters, Lisa Loeb, Amy Grant, Rita Coolidge, Olivia Newton-John, Glen Campbell, D'Angelo, K-Ci & JoJo and Jodeci.

New York-born Mike Ragogna was signed at 15 as a songwriter by producers Terry Cashman & Tommy West who developed him as a recording artist for their label, Lifesong Records. After writing and recording songs for Tippi Hedren’s international hit movie, Roar, Mike teamed with producer Terrence P. Minogue to record his debut album in 1982, Safari In America. In 1984, Mike also supplied the Joey Ramone-esque voice in the popular TV commercial for Atari's video game Pole Position.

His first major label release was in 1985 on MTM—Mary Tyler Moore's Nashville-based record company that was distributed through Capitol Records. Mike’s album The Almost Brothers (recorded Everlys/Simon & Garfunkel-style with vocalist Steve Mosto) featured four country charters—“Don’t Tell Me Love Is Kind,” “Birds Of A Feather,” “What's Your Name” and “I Don't Love Her Anymore.” Label-mates Girls Next Door recorded Mike’s first big hit as a songwriter, “Slow Boat To China,” that was a Billboard Country Top Ten and one of 1986’s top-selling country singles. It also was the first major hit for MTM’s publishing division, Uncle Artie Music, and received an ASCAP award honoring it as one of the most frequently-played country singles of that year.

Mike Ragogna and Steve Mosto then recorded and performed as the groups Body Politic and Bone People before moving on to solo careers. Mike’s next solo album, Minefield Diaries, was independently released in 1999, and his 2003 studio effort, Invisible World, recast Ragogna as a maturing recording artist and songwriter. (2005 saw this batch of recordings finally released as the album Valentine’s Day.)

In 2004, Mike recorded Writer’s Block, which actually was inspired by the affliction. Including a handful of Mike’s originals, Writer’s Block took a cue from the legendary Brill Building, adding songs by Carole King, Gerry Goffin and Barry Mann. Building on the Brill concept, Mike added material by solid writers such as John Mayer, Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik, and Bob Hillman, a singer-songwriter he discovered at NYC’s Sidewalk Café.

Summerland was Mike's 2008 album, recorded over two years and produced by John X Volaitis and Christopher Holden. Featuring twelve Ragogna originals, it's focus track, "Home," was a duet with legendary vocalist Dobie Gray. The song and its video were intended to contribute to raise consciousness on returning our troops from Iraq and completing the restoration of New Orleans. Additionally, Mike supplied the teacher's voice in over 70 courses for the online school, Universal Class. Currently, Mike is working on a remixed and re-imagined retrospective of his last four albums with a projected 2009 release.


Blog Entries by Mike Ragogna

HuffPost Reviews: Beyonce, Rihanna, Buddy Holly, The Doors, Susan Boyle, and More

Posted November 23, 2009 | 12:12 AM (EST)


Beyoncé - I Am...Yours

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"You had me at hello," sings Beyoncé Knowles as the soul-pop diva embraces scores of outreached hands while working her way to the stage through a crowd of 1500 at the Wynn Hotel's Encore Theater in Las Vegas. Thus begins...

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HuffPost Reviews: Paul McCartney, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and Norah Jones

10 Comments | Posted November 16, 2009 | 12:14 AM (EST)


Paul McCartney - Good Evening New York City

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Following his simple greeting "Good evening, New York City," Paul launched into his three-date appearance back in July of this year at Citi Field, initiating the Shea Stadium replacement as a major concert venue as well...

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Standing on One's Principles: An Interview With Ron Reagan

14 Comments | Posted November 12, 2009 | 04:00 AM (EST)


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Ron Reagan is the son of a president and, weekdays on Air America, he's a voice of reason for many listeners who are trying to navigate the complexities of national and global concerns. Known for his progressive views and politics, Ron took a few...

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HuffPost Reviews: Bon Jovi, The Killers, AC/DC, Sting, Tori Amos, and More, Plus This Week's New Albums

11 Comments | Posted November 9, 2009 | 03:00 AM (EST)


Bon Jovi - The Circle

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From its single "We Weren't Born To Follow" through its closer "Learn To Love," The Circle doesn't overextend or pretend to be anything more than a good Bon Jovi record. Presented here are twelve non-stop anthems whose only mission...

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Stop Making Sense With Jerry Harrison & Chris Frantz, Plus a Robert Francis Interview, John Mayer News, and More

20 Comments | Posted November 5, 2009 | 03:00 AM (EST)


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Interviews With Talking Heads Jerry Harrison & Chris Frantz

This year being the 25th anniversary of the release of the Talking Heads' concert classic Stop Making Sense, a new Blu-ray version of the Jonathan Demme-directed flick was prepared that includes a refurbished film transfer,...

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HuffPost Reviews: Nirvana, Michael Jackson's This Is It, Weezer, and Glee, Plus a Rickie Lee Jones Interview, and This Week's New Albums

13 Comments | Posted November 2, 2009 | 03:00 AM (EST)


Nirvana - Live At Reading

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Nirvana's August 30, 1992, performance at Britain's Reading Festival is considered to be one of the finest moments in rock history, and after mostly ragged bootlegs have circulated for years, finally, a clean, color-corrected, official version honoring that legendary...

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It Takes The Village: Interviews with Shelby Lynne, Rickie Lee Jones, Michael Timmins, John Oates, Amos Lee, Rachael Yamagata, Steve Berlin, and More

2 Comments | Posted October 30, 2009 | 05:31 AM (EST)


It's a little surprising that until now, no one has put together the definitive tribute album to folk's fertile days in New York's Greenwich Village. 429 Records' new collection titled The Village--A Celebration Of The Music Of Greenwich Village spotlights the historical significance of the neighborhood's folk music scene with...

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An Interview With Train, Plus The New Soulsavers Video, and More

Posted October 28, 2009 | 06:42 AM (EST)


When Train agreed to be interviewed for the Huffington Post's Entertainment page, no one could predict that the conference would be conducted over the course of thousands of miles from scores of hotel rooms. Vocalist Pat Monahan would become intensely ill, guitarist Jimmy Stafford would be fused to his cell,...

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HuffPost Reviews: Jack Johnson, R.E.M., Train, Dolly, Carly, and More, Plus U2 Plays The Rose Bowl, and This Week's New Albums

4 Comments | Posted October 26, 2009 | 04:50 AM (EST)


Jack Johnson - En Concert

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In 2008, Jack Johnson toured the world with his Sleep Through The Static concerts, the best of these shows assembled for his new CD/DVD En Concert that captures quite a bit more than your average live album. Jack brings...

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One Fast Move or I'm Gone: An Interview with Son Volt's Jay Farrar and Death Cab For Cutie's Benjamin Gibbard

2 Comments | Posted October 21, 2009 | 06:20 AM (EST)


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Although Son Volt's Jay Farrar and Death Cab For Cutie's Benjamin Gibbard create music from two different perspectives--one uses roots-Americana as his template, and the other employs emo pop-jangle--their blend on the documentary soundtrack One Fast Move Or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur creates...

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HuffPost Reviews: Twilight's New Moon, Kerouac's Big Sur, Cohen's Isle Of Wight, and more including This Week's New Albums

2 Comments | Posted October 19, 2009 | 07:00 AM (EST)


The Twilight Saga: New Moon Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

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Leading off with Death Cab For Cutie's infectious "Meet Me On The Equinox," New Moon's fifteen tracks may be after your traditional teen market's pop dollars, but they're also attempting to tap into twenty-something angst....

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Still Awesome After All These Years: An Interview With Producer Phil Ramone

5 Comments | Posted October 16, 2009 | 03:09 AM (EST)


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If you've ever read his Friday Huffington Post column Dog Ears Music, you're aware that Phil Ramone is fond of some pretty great records. Every week, he and Danielle Evin suggest albums and tracks from various decades that deserve attention as they happily update...

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How Sweet The Sound: An Interview With Joan Baez

22 Comments | Posted October 14, 2009 | 05:36 AM (EST)


For most of the fifty years since she debuted at the Newport Folk Festival, Joan Baez has dedicated her life and music to fighting for equality and social justice, and for bringing about positive change in the world. On Wednesday, October 14, PBS stations nationwide celebrated her life, music, and...

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HuffPost Reviews: Hall & Oates, Baez & Dylan, Simon & Ondrasik, and More

9 Comments | Posted October 12, 2009 | 05:35 AM (EST)


On Wednesday, October 7, MTV premiered "Meet Me On The Equinox," Death Cab For Cutie's theme song for The Twilight Saga: New Moon. In case you missed it, take a look-see at Ben Gibbard and his gang's new one plus some tasty film footage:

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HuffPost Reviews: Alice In Chains, Rosanne Cash, Kiss, and more, plus a Brandi Carlile Interview, and This Week's New Albums

1 Comments | Posted October 5, 2009 | 07:09 AM (EST)


AN INTERVIEW WITH BRANDI CARLILE

Mike Ragogna: Brandi, how does your new album Give Up The Ghost differ from your previous releases?

Brandi Carlile: Well, the first one was recorded before we ever got a record deal, so we recorded it by ourselves with a series of pseudo-producers, engineers, and...

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An Interview with Author David Comfort on The Rock & Roll Book of the Dead

9 Comments | Posted October 2, 2009 | 03:36 AM (EST)


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Mike Ragogna: Since your new book discusses the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, and Jerry Garcia, of course, there's going to be a lot of controversy surrounding it since everyone wants to see their heroes...

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HuffPost Reviews: Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Genesis, and Chris Bell, Plus an Interview with Jason Mraz, This Week's New Albums, and More

2 Comments | Posted September 28, 2009 | 05:48 AM (EST)


An Interview With Jason Mraz

In the few short years following the release of Jason Mraz's 2002 debut album Waiting For My Rocket To Come, the young San Diego singer-songwriter has had the longest running hit on Billboard's Pop Singles chart ("I'm Yours," 70 weeks), has become a Grammy award-winner,...

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An Interview with Dan Zanes, Plus Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson, Smokey & Santana, and More

Posted September 25, 2009 | 06:12 AM (EST)


With the new DVD release The Fine Friends Are Here!, Dan Zanes and Friends present colorful music and images that are not just for children, but also for the big kid in all of us.

Mike Ragogna: Unlike a lot of children's music that talks down to kids, dumbs-out the...

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Metro Station and Miley & The Rockits Plays Staples Center

6 Comments | Posted September 23, 2009 | 05:04 AM (EST)


First, oh discriminating HuffPost readers, please bring half an open mind to this review, okay? Second, did you know Billy Ray Cyrus has a musically talented son, Trace, and he's one of the two front men for the power-pop group Metro Station? It's all true. These hyper-pop-rockers played the Staples...

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HuffPost Reviews: Pearl Jam, Monsters of Folk and More, Plus an Interview with David Gray, and This Week's New Albums

8 Comments | Posted September 21, 2009 | 05:02 AM (EST)


An Interview With David Gray

Mike Ragogna: Draw The Line seems like a return to the sound of your earlier recordings. Was that a conscious decision?

David Gray: I think it's a degree of going backwards in order to go forwards. The music has been quite inward looking for a...

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