It’s Sunday and We Have Our ‘Original Sixties Rotation’ EP, a Great Collaboration for Our AOW, and Peter Tosh In the Spotlight, August 21, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We’ve got an eclectic programming day planned for you today, starting with our great Album of The Week, then moving into our very first Sixties Rotation. We close out later with our Reggae selection.

Here’s today’s lineup:

10:00 a.m. Album of The Week: The Union by Elton John and Leon Russell NEW!

Any album with these two guys in collaboration can only be called a tour de force. Released in 2010, the album was produced by the great T. Bone Burnett (who also contributes on electric guitar). Others who helped out include Booker T. Jones (Hammond B-3), Neil Young (vocals), Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar), and Brian Wilson (vocal harmonies). It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and was listed at No. 3 on Rolling Stone’s 30 Best Albums of 2010.

1:00 p.m. The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

We’ve got just over five hours of uninterrupted sixties music coming your way in the early afternoon. This particular rotation focuses on the early-to-mid years of the decade, although I can’t guarantee we don’t slip some stuff in from later in the decade. I may have been stoned when I made it. You will hear Del Shannon, Little Eva, The Drifters, The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, Mary Wells, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, Glen Campbell, Johnny Rivers, The Dave Clark Five, The Supremes, Harry Nilsson, The Band, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Simon & Garfunkel, Blind Faith, Janis Joplin, Tony Joe White, Barry McGuire, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Fats Domino and more.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Peter Tosh NEW!

Peter Tosh has a long, storied musical history. Abandoned by his parents and shuffled among his relatives, he eventually became a self-taught singer, songwriter and musician who was a critical part of The Wailers. He eventually met Robert Nesta Marley (THE Bob Marley) and Neville O’Reilly Livingston (Bunny Wailer). They started singing together in 1962 and the rest is history. He wrote several of the Wailers hit songs including Get Up, Stand Up, 400 Years, and No Sympathy. After the Wailers, Peter Tosh went on to a successful solo career starting with his album, Legalize It. Today, we put Reggae legend Peter Tosh In the Spotlight.

Here we are again. Another Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge, and a perfect day to acquaint yourselves with our special brand of radio. Yep. It’s true. You can’t create “custom” playlists here. That’s not what we’re about. We’re about real radio. I remember the days of summer laying around in my yard with my friends tuned into our transistor radios listening to WMEX. We waited in anticipation for every song.

It’s Saturday in The Mermaid Lounge With Our ‘Psychedelic Express’ EP, Desmond Dekker In The Spotlight, LIVE DEAD! and The Final Airing of Neil Young’s AOW, August 20, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We have a very full Saturday here for you but, nevertheless, our wide Open Stream dominates on the time scale. We never give you too much programming…just enough.

It’s time for our monthly trip into the land of psychedelia!

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Songs for Judy by Neil Young FINAL AIRING!

We bid Neil Young an early fond farewell today as we kick this one off early for our overseas listeners. Tomorrow, we’ll have a brand new album for you all when you finally wake up!

12:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

We’re back with our trip to psychedelic music land where you’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Tommy James & The Shondells, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Mudrutch, Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Desmond Dekker and The Aces NEW!

Another trip down Reggae Road here with Desmond Dekker, a Jamaican Reggae, Ska and Rocksteady singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing band, The Aces, he had one of the first international reggae hits with his song Israelites. I remember hearing that song on the radio over and over and I loved it. But I didn’t really have a total appreciation for Reggae then as I do now.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at Boston Garden, Boston, MA, May 12, 1980 NEW!

Another great concert from a great jam band. This one comes from my hometown back in 1980. We’ve had a few from Boston, but not from 1980 yet. Tonight, we’ve got that one too.

Well, once again, allow me to tell you that it would be a great day to spend with us here in The Mermaid Lounge if you can spare some time. It won’t take long for you to get hooked. Trust me. We’re not about charging money so you can build Internet playlists. If you want to do that, you can go pay Spotify. We’re all about being radio. And we don’t clog our airwaves with mouthy DJs and commercial advertising.

It’s Finally Friday and We’ve Got Our ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’ EP and a Visit From the I-Threes Coming Up, August 19, 2022

Good Morning, Reggaeologists! Yes. It’s still Reggae Week, right through to Sunday. Or Maybe Monday. We’ll see. But today, we’ve got the I-Threes coming’ at ya, and I’m pretty sure there’ll be plenty of folks out there who don’t really know who they are. We’re going to help you with that.

The I-Threes are Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths.

Here’s today’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

Folk music was the original musical genre of the protest generation with Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Phil Ochs, Lead Belly as the forefathers. Today, they’ll be joined by others, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Peter, Paul & Mary, John Prine, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Arlo Guthrie, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, The Carter Family, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Jackson Browne, Jesse Winchester, Joni Mitchell, The Stone Poneys, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, and more!

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The I-Threes NEW!

So, who are the I-Threes? The I-Threes are Rita Marley (yes, wife of Bob), Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths and it is the most influential female group in Reggae music. From 1974 right up until Bob Marley’s untimely death ten years later, they provided his rich vocal backgrounds. They also made music of their own. And today we are very excited about putting them In the Spotlight as we continue to focus on the women of music here in The Mermaid Lounge.

Come on, people. This is your chance to tune us in. We’re hear 24/7 around the clock every day trying to bring you the best of music. And that means we don’t play the same songs over and over and over. We play just enough of our house bands, but not too much. We are also advertising-free and do not require your personal information, a subscription or your credit card. Your money is absolutely no good here.

It’s Reggae Week With Toots & The Maytals Starting Off, Then Neil Young’s AOW, and Our ‘All About Blue’ Playlist Later, Thursday, August 18, 2022

Good Morning! We’re back to reggae every day through Sunday as we build our Reggae, Ska and Rocksteady collection and move toward a new multi-artist playlist this weekend!

Toots Hibbert of Toots & The Maytals

Here’s today’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Toots & The Maytals

Toots & The Maytals, led by Toots Hibbert, was one of the best known ska and rocksteady musical groups, and were instrumental in popularizing Reggae music worldwide. Today we put them In the Spotlight.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Songs for Judy by Neil Young

Young’s great compilation of live acoustic set songs from his 1976 tour with Crazy Horse is an artistic tour de force. This is our second-to-last airing of this great album, so don’t let it pass you by. Our final airing will be on Saturday.

7:00 p.m. All About Blue, Volume One: Various Artists

A great little playlist here about the color blue in the title, lyrics or both with The Allman Brothers Band, Linda Ronstadt, Mudcrutch, Foreigner, Taj Mahal, Joni Mitchell, Jonathan Edwards, George Harrison, Electric Light Orchestra, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Badfinger, The Band, Elvis Presley and more!

Come on, people, get on board with us! We’re a great little radio station that puts music before money. In fact, we haven’t a cent to spend on advertising because we don’t accept any commercial advertising. Don’t pass us by. We’re free without strings (or surprises) on a 24-hour basis, rain or shine!

We Start The Day With Our ‘Under The Influence’ EP and Close It With Bob Marley & The Wailers, On Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We start out the day Under The Influence with our many friends who sing about those mind-altering vices, and get back to Reggae with Bob Marley & The Wailers tonight.

The Caterpillar knows best.

Here’s today’s midweek lineup:

10:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

Let’s all admit that we’ve been here, whether or not our vices of choice are legal or illegal. You’ll hear many a tale from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Donovan, Glenn Frey, John Lee Hooker, Jonathan Edwards, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, The Traveling Wilburys, The Temptations, Small Faces, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, The Beatles, Neil Young, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Dave Van Ronk, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Led Zeppelin, Harry Chapin, The Band, The Fraternity of Man and more!

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Bob Marley & The Wailers

Known as ‘The Legend’ among Reggae fans, Bob Marley is perhaps the most visual and storied ambassador of Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady. In 1963, he formed The Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. By late 1963, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith had joined the group. The rest, as they say, is history as they became the most influential band in Reggae music.

Come on, music lovers. What’s not to love here? We don’t spread endless chatter while we should be playing music. We simply play music. No cost to you. Ever. And no reason to ask for personal information or a credit card. I know you probably find that hard to believe, but hey, why not see for yourself?

It’s Tuesday Bluesday With Our ‘Best of Chicago Blues’ EP and Tracy Nelson In The Spotlight Later, In Between It’s The AOW, August 16, 2022

We are clearly rolling on through August, Bluesologists, and it’s time once again for our trip to the blues clubs of Chicago (at least in our minds).

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Best of Chicago Blues: Various Artists

They always say that Chicago blues ain’t like any other blues. We put that to the test to day with Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Lowell Fulson, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Magic Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Son Seals, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Otis Spann and more!

5:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Songs for Judy by Neil Young

It’s a longer than usual AOW; almost like a concert. This is an amazing compilation of Neil Young’s opening acoustic set from his 1976 tour with Crazy Horse. This is our second airing. You definitely want to get this one in by Saturday.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Tracy Nelson

Tracy Nelson has had a storied career and started out in band called Mother Earth. She’s sung some country-rock and a whole lot of blues. She also wrote one of my all-time favorite Linda Ronstadt tunes, Down So Low. We put Tracy Nelson in the spotlight tonight.

Tuesday Bluesday is always a good day to tune us in, but we say that every day. We’re totally free 24/7 with no strings and no surprises. We do not accept commercial advertising, so we actually have no money to spend on advertising. So, if you tune us in and you like what we do here, please share with your friends!

It’s Monday, Monday as We Open Up Reggae Week Here in The Mermaid Lounge! Read On for Details, August 15, 2022

Good Morning, Reggae-ologists! It’s Reggae Week (we are also Ska and Rocksteady inclusive here in The Mermaid Lounge) and that means a little bit of Reggae sunshine in your day nearly every day (the exception will be Tuesday Bluesday), as we bolster our rotation.

L to R: Bob Marley & The Wailers, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Toots & The Maytals.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jimmy Cliff NEW!

Often called the Grandfather of Reggae, Jimmy Cliff is a Reggae, Ska, and Rocksteady multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter who began his musical journey when he was still in primary school. He also starred in the movie The Harder They Come, which helped to propel Reggae to popularity around the world. He is the only living Reggae musician to receive the Order of Merit, the highest honor you can receive from the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts & sciences. He was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. We kick off Reggae Week by putting him In the Spotlight.

3:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band Live at A & R Studios, New York, NY, August 26, 1971

This afternoon, we take some time with The Brothers live and on stage in NYC. They are always a treat. I’ve seen them ‘live’ several times myself in my lifetime, and have never been disappointed.

7:00 p.m. For Foodies Only: Various Artists

Here’s a fun multi-artist playlist with the mention of food of all kinds in the title, lyrics or both. You will hear The Rolling Stones, Little Feat, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Judy Collins, Steely Dan, Harry Nilsson, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Strangeloves, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Supertramp, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Guy Clark, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffett, The Kinks, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Fats Domino, The Four Tops, Booker T. & The MGs and more!

Start your day the Reggae way! We hope to broaden your musical horizons this week. We are totally free with absolutely no strings and no surprises. There are no financial commitments. There is no personal information requested. And nothing to fill out. And we run 24/7, not just when we have programming. That’s because we have a big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs to share with you.

It’s Sunday and We’ve Got a Great New Album of The Week and Our ‘Are You Ready For The Country’ EP, August 14, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! I’m excited as hell about our Album of The Week. It’s an unusual find, but I cannot wait. We also have a lot of that Laurel Canyon country-rock mixed in with our great traditional country EP today.

Here’s your musical lineup for the day:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Songs for Judy by Neil Young NEW!

This is not your typical album, and it’s an exciting choice for our Album of The Week. If you don’t know about the album, you may be assuming it’s a bunch of “period” type songs from Judy Garland as sung by Neil Young. But you’d be wrong. It’s actually a compilation of live acoustic set songs by Neil Young while on his 1976 tour with Crazy Horse. This album comprises all 22 songs that he sung on that tour as part of an opening live acoustic set. Where does Judy Garland come in to all of this? The album title comes from Young’s own story about hallucinating one night and seeing Judy Garland sitting in the orchestra pit. This album is Volume 7 in the Performance Series of The Neil Young Archives.

3:00 p.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

You’ll be hearing more Neil Young here because this EP is literally named after one of his songs! In addition to Neil Young, you will hear Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Gram Parsons, Pure Prairie League, Asleep at The Wheel, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, The Marshall Tucker Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mudcrutch, The Band, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Dan Fogelberg, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, The Desert Rose Band, John Prine and more! In fact, just about five hours of uninterrupted country and country rock.

It is, without a doubt, a great day to tune us in. We’ve got a great AOW and a great EP going today. The rest of the 24-hour, non-stop cycle is occupied by our great wide Open Stream under the control of the venerable Music Mermaid. Did I mention that we’re totally free, no strings, no surprises? Ever.

It’s Saturday in The Lounge With Our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP, The Final Airing of “Aftermath” and LIVE DEAD! Bringing Up the Rear, August 13, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists, and welcome to another Saturday here in The Memaid Lounge where we put the women of music squarely in charge of today’s festivities.

The Women of Music rule The Mermaid Lounge today!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

Today we put the women of music squarely in the spotlight here in The Mermaid Lounge, and they never disappoint. You’ll hear Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Carly Simon, Chrissie Hynde, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, Valerie Carter, Nicolette Larson, and more!

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Aftermath by The Rolling Stones FINAL AIRING!

We bid a fond farewell to this Stones gem this evening, as we prepare to give you a brand new album for next week. It’s already lined up and ready to go. It debuts tomorrow morning.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at Winterland, San Francisco, October 22, 1978

We have a repeat performance, but we haven’t aired this one since January 2021, so it’s virtually brandy new. And what does it matter anyway? It’s The Dead. The worlds ultimate jam and road band.

Before, in between, and after we have that great wide Open Stream running non-stop 24/7 at no charge to the listening public. We do this for the music, not the money. We accept no advertising, so we don’t pass that capitalistic chatter on to you. It’s all music, all day and night.

We Bring You The End of the Work Week With Our ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at The Fillmore Vintage ’99, Friday, August 12, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We have hit Friday, and that is always a good thing in my book. That means I have but one more day in retail hell. Today, we give you a little bit of soul and some live TPATH.

Today’s EP covers the entire soul and R & B spectrum, not just Motown!

Here’s today’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

Today we cover the spectrum of this great musical genre with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Carla Thomas, James Brown, The Shirelles, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, LaVern Baker, The Supremes, Sam Cooke, Edwin Starr, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas and more! Five uninterrupted hours of soul and R & B!

7:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, March 15-16, 1999

Here we have The Heartbreakers on the High Grass Dogs Tour, making their traditional stop at San Francisco’s iconic Fillmore. One great live band at a great venue. They’re our house band for a reason, people. Find out why.

Before, in between and after, we’ve got our wide Open Stream with thousands of songs for The Music Mermaid to choose from. We never know what she’s up to. And we don’t ask foolish questions. All you need is a tab and a cursor. You don’t need a wallet. Your money’s no good here.