Month: February 2023

Today We Take a Special Trip to Old Mexico With Linda Ronstadt and Then Jump On The Psychedelic Express, Sunday, February 19, 2023

Good morning, music lovers. This is a special day here in The Mermaid Lounge as we feature the first non-rock n’ roll album by Linda Ronstadt with Canciones di Mi Padre, the largest selling non-English-speaking album in music history.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Canciones di Mi Padre by Linda Ronstadt NEW!

From the start, Linda Ronstadt was fully in control of her career, an unusual situation in the male-dominated rock world. By the the time she got around to making Canciones di Mi Padre, she had made her record label millions of dollars and was unafraid to take a stand about recording the songs that filled her childhood. People warned her that her career would tank if she made this album, but she paid no mind. From it’s release in late 1987, it was a worldwide smash. It sold 2.5 million copies in the U.S alone, making it the biggest selling non-English language album in American recording history. By 2012, it had sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Ronstadt also won the Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album at the 31st Grammy Awards. Las Canciones de mi Padre also is the only recording production that used the 3 best Mariachi bands in the world: Mariachi Vargas, Mariachi Los Camperos and Mariachi Los Galleros de Pedro Rey. In 2021, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; in 2022 it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

3:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

From mariachi to mind-bending. At mid-afternoon, we jump on The Psychedelic Express for a journey to the center of the mind with Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, the Electric Prunes, The Animals, the 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, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, the Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

It’s Sunday. If there’s a big guy up there, even he took the day off. It’s a day of rest. Tune in, turn on and drop out with us. It’s a no-strain affair here in The Mermaid Lounge. No cost to you. Ever. We’re on 24/7. When we aren’t running programming, we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream going courtesy of The Music Mermaid.

A Day of Rest!

It’s Saturday and We Start Out With Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Then It’s On To Our ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’ EP and the Final Airing of The AOW, February 18, 2023

Good morning, folkies! We’ve got a real treat for you today as our programming is all folk with a little touch of the blues at the end. The big ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’ EP is smack in the middle.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Kate & Anna McGarrigle NEW!

The Canadian-born musicians from Quebec are a true gift to the music world. While Kate was studying engineering and Anna was studying art, they began performing together and writing their own songs. It wasn’t until singers like Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Judy Collins began covering their songs that they received their own recording contract in 1974. Not surprisingly, this was when Linda Ronstadt exploded onto the music scene in full force with her Heart Like A Wheel album, the title song being a McGarrigle composition. The sisters continued writing and making albums up until Kate McGarrigle’s death in 2010.

12:00 p.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

Folk music gave birth to protest songs long before the sixties, and musicians from the sixties and subsequent generations have kept the folk music tradition alive. The artists featured in this EP include John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Jackson Browne, Guy Clark, James Taylor, The Carter Family, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Kate & Anna McGarrigle and more!

8:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Brother Johnny by Edgar Winter FINAL AIRING!

We bid a very fond farewell to this great album today, but it is in our standard rotation now and you will be hearing airings down the road. We promise. Tomorrow when you roll out of bed, there’ll be a brand new album waiting.

Yes, we’ll tell you to give us a listen again today. We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free. We do not clog up the airwaves with commercial advertising or endless chatter. We’re all about the music.

Folk Music Day!

Friday in The Lounge Brings The ‘Foodies Only’ Playlist, Van Morrison as the Featured Singer-Songwriter, and Linda & Emmylou ‘Live’ Together in Boston, February 17, 2023

Good morning, weekenders. It’s almost here! We have a great lineup for you as we ease you into the weekend. We start out with a fun playlist this morning called ‘Foodies Only’ and it just may make you hungry because it’s songs about food and drink in the title, lyrics or both!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

11:00 a.m. For Foodies Only: Various Artists UPDATED!

Songs about food (and drink) in the title, lyrics or both open up our programming today. You’ll hear The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Little Feat, Van Morrison, The Four Tops. Tony Joe White, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Strangeloves, Steely Dan, Harry Nilsson, Cream, Booker T. & The MG’s, Fats Domino, The Guess Who, Neil Young, Supertramp, Bob Dylan, The Flying Burrito Brothers and more! And yes, we’ve added a few new songs.

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Van Morrison FINAL AIRING!

Today is the final airing of Van Morrison as our featured singer-songwriter for the week. His talent cannot be denied. His career has spanned seven amazing decades. Tune it in today.

7:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris Live at The Orpheum, Boston, MA, October 1, 1999

Linda and Emmylou have been friends for a very long time. If you’ve seen the Linda Ronstadt documentary, The Sound of My Voice, you know the depth of their friendship. This tour was in support of their Western Wall album, which is an amazing piece of work. I remember the years leading up to the album and wishing that they’d do something together. It was worth the wait. Tonight we feature them live from my hometown in a historic music venue.

Hey, I sound like a broken record, so I’m not repeating my canned closing here. Suffice it to say if you’re not listening, you’re missing out on a great thing. (And it’s 100% FREE.)

Linda & Emmylou!

The Weekend Is In Sight! We’ve Got Our ‘Are You Ready for The Country’ EP, Our AOW by Edgar Winter, and Some ‘Live’ Neil Young Later, Thursday, February 16, 2023

Well, are you ready for the country? Because we are. We’re talking about both real country and the pioneers who hung out in Laurel Canyon and fused country and rock together. And that’s just the beginning today.

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

10:00 a.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

We’ve got them all here today, from Nashville to Laurel Canyon. You’ll hear Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris,, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, 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, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Dan Fogelberg, New Riders of The Purple Sage, John Prine, Chris Hillman, The Desert Rose Band and more!

5:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Brother Johnny by Edgar Winter

We’re winding down on this selection, and it’s a great one. Get in today on Edgar Winter’s 2023 Grammy-award winning tribute album to his brother, the great bluesman Johnny Winter.

8:00 p.m. Neil Young & The International Harvesters Live at The Moody Theater, Austin City Limits, September 25, 1984

Neil Young has had many musical phases during his long career, and tonight we’ve got his country phase with a great Nashville-based band, The International Harvesters. A lot of critics panned Young’s musical phases but that’s because they like to button-hole performers into a genre, much the same way the “experts” told Linda Ronstadt that her career would be ruined if she sang mariachi music (that was bullshit; just the opposite happened). We here love Neil Young’s phases. It adds to his mystique.

We are here 24/7 and totally free of charge, folks. It’s all about the music, not the money. We don’t accept commercial advertising either, another bonus of joining our international community of listeners.

Just Push Play.

We are ‘Under The Influence’ at Midweek; We’ve Also Got Van Morrison and Eva Cassidy Along For the Ride, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! Today we kick off early with our ‘Under The Influence’ EP of mind-bending songs, then we move on with Van Morrison as our featured singer-songwriter and Eva Cassidy’s live performance at Pearl’s.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

We start off the morning under the influence with songs about mind-bending substances, both legal and not. Hey, we’ve all been there at least once in our lives. Some of us more. You’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Donovan, Glen 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!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Van Morrison

Van takes his second turn as this week’s featured singer-songwriter. This guy has been at it for seven decades and is still going.

7:00 p.m. Eva Cassidy Live at Pearl’s, Annapolis, MD, September 14, 1994

Eva Cassidy was robbed of her future just two years after this performance when she passed away from cancer, but she left an awful lot of great music behind for us to enjoy. Luckily we’ve managed to find a some live performances to bring you over the past several years. Like many others, I never heard her before her death. If you’ve never heard Eva sing before, this would be a great night to introduce yourself to her talent.

We’re here 24/7 at no cost to you. We are totally free of charge and free of commercial advertising. We are all about the music and nothing more. Whether we have two people or two thousand listening, we are the same. Give us a listen.

Midweek Magic!

Welcome To Tuesday Bluesday! We’ve Got Our ‘Best of Louisiana Blues’ EP, Edgar Winter’s Tribute to Johnny, and Stevie Ray Vaughn In the Spotlight, February 14, 2023

It’s Tuesday Bluesday once again and we have got ourselves a blues trifecta going on today. All of the programming is blues related. It doesn’t get any better than that. Happy Valentines Day, folks! We LOVE da blues here.

Here’s today’s Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Best of Louisiana Blues: Various Artists

When it comes to music, Louisiana is culturally rich on many levels, including the blues. This is our newest blues EP, and you’ll hear familiar voices along with some you may not know, including Ray Charles, Lillian Glinn, Slim Harpo, Fats Domino, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Rodney Harris, Roosevelt Sykes, Shirley & Lee, Roy Brown, Papa Lightfoot, Guitar Slim, Annie Laurie, Fats Matthews, Big Joe Turner, Big Boy Myles, Little Walter, Mary Butler, Erline Harris, Marcia Ball, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, Dave Bartholomew and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Brother Johnny by Edgar Winter

We have the second airing of Edgar Winter’s 2023 Grammy winner for Best Contemporary Blues Album, a tribute to the great bluesman and high-energy guitarist Johnny Winter. Not to be missed.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Stevie Ray Vaughan

SRV, as he is lovingly known, is probably best known as the front man for the blues trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, but he was more than that. His mainstream career spanned just seven years before his tragic death, but he is on the tip of everyone’s tongue in the blues world. He is one of the most influential artists of the blues genre, and one of its most revered guitarists.

Tuesday Bluesday is always a busy listening day in The Lounge. We’re crowded around the world here. Today will be no exception. Why not give us a listen today? You’ve got nothing to lose, and it won’t cost you a penny. Seriously. Ever.

Tuesday Bluesday!

Happy Monday From The Mermaid Lounge With Some Valentines Day Playlists and The Fab Four Sandwiched in Between, February 13, 2023

Good morning and welcome to another Monday. Here we are in The Mermaid Lounge and we’ll give you some Valentines Day TLA and heartbreak today (tomorrow is Tuesday Bluesday, so we must adjust) and The Beatles in between.

Here’s what Monday, Monday brings:

11:00 a.m. True Love Always: Various Artists

We start off the programming with the happy side of love, when everything is rosy. That’s usually when it’s “new” as it turns out. It’ll deteriorate later. You’ll hear loving entreaties from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Mamas & The Papas, Carly Simon, The Yardbirds, Van Morrison, Delaney & Bonnie, Buffalo Springfield, The Band, Linda Ronstadt, Maria Muldaur, Valerie Carter, Boz Scaggs, Bonnie Raitt, The Hollies, The Lovin’ Spoonful and more!

3:00 p.m. The Beatles: The Early Years

We’re a bit late out of the gate here, but we always manage to catch up. On February 9, The Beatles performed for the first time on The Ed Sullivan Show. So, today, we give you a playlist of their early songs in celebration of that musical event that changed it all.

7:00 p.m. Nothing But Heartbreak: Various Artists

Here’s the flip side of the coin. Otherwise known as when things go sour. I’m the master of this playlist. You’ll hear Carole King, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Tom Rush, Jackson Browne, Aretha Franklin, the J. Geils Band, Mudcrutch, Guy Clark, Lucinda Williams, Dan Fogelberg, Warren Zevon, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Cat Stevens, The Searchers, Ray Charles and more.

Yeah. It’s Monday, and the first day of the week pretty much sucks. But hey, you can improve the day by tuning us in. So, if you’ve got an office, close the door and pull up a tab. If you work at home, even better. You can even turn us on after work and improve your day because we run 24/7 with no commercial interruption. We’re all about the music.

Monday, Monday

It’s Sunday, So We Keep It Simple With Edgar Winter and Our AOW, Then We Turn the Whole Thing Over To the Women of Music With Our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP, February 12, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! Your weekend is winding down and mine is just beginning as we start off this fine Sunday morning in the church of music known as The Mermaid Lounge. We’ve got some great stuff on tap for you today!

Here’s your Sunday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Brother Johnny by Edgar Winter NEW!

Edgar Winter’s heartfelt 17-song tribute to his brother, killer bluesman Johnny Winter, garnered him a 2023 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album just this past week at the age of 76. The Winter brothers are legends in the classic rock arena and, along with Bonnie Raitt (who won this year at the age of 73), just go to prove that the generation of musicians who inspired this radio station have real staying power.

3:00 p.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

At mid-afternoon, we turn the whole deal over to the women of music to take us into the evening hours. You’ll hear Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Rait, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, 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, Nicolette Larson, Sheryl Crow, Valerie Carter, Dolly Parton, Dusty Springfield and more!

We’re ready and raring to go this morning. Until we begin, we are on continual wide Open Stream courtesy of The Music Mermaid who, as you know, runs the show here and has impeccable taste in music. We are totally free 24/7 with no commercial advertising to mess up the mojo.

Keep It Simple Sunday!

On Saturday, We Introduce Van Morrison as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter, and Give You ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ (EP) Plus the Final Airing of Our AOW, February 11, 2023

Good Morning, Musicologists! We’ve got a fine Saturday on tap for you today as some of us begin our weekend (mine doesn’t start until 5:00 p.m. this evening). But fear not. The Music Mermaid will be at the helm today.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Van Morrison NEW!

Today we premier our new singer-songwriter, Northern Irish musician and multi-instrumentalist Van “the man” Morrison (to his many fans). Morrison’s music career spans seven decades, starting with his lead singer role with Irish R&B and rock band, Them, when he recorded the great garage hit Gloria.

12:00 p.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

As you know, every month is black music history month here in The Mermaid Lounge, and today we give you five hours of uninterrupted R&B and soul music featuring Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, 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, The Box Tops, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Eddie Floyd, The Ad Libs, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, Wanda Jackson, Percy Sledge, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

8:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Poet, A Tribute To Townes Van Zandt, Various Artists FINAL AIRING!

Tonight we bid a fond farewell to this great album featuring artists like Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, John Prine, the Cowboy Junkies and others paying homage to a great American singer-songwriter. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand new album for you.

Yes, it’s the beginning of the weekend and this is a great place to begin life in the no-work zone. We are stress-free: No subscription, credit card or personal information are ever required. We run 24/7 circulating more than 27,000 songs from my personal collection. Why not join our worldwide listeners today?

A Little Bit O’ Soul

We Are at The Week’s End and We’re All About The Women Today With Bonnie Raitt, Bobbie Gentry and Carole King. It’s Friday, February 10, 2023.

Good morning, music lovers across the globe! We’ve made it to Friday and it’s a Ladies Day Only with the programming today (but not all the stream) and with good reason. Read on for details!

Here’s Friday’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Bonnie Raitt UPDATED!

Today we celebrate Bonnie Raitt’s eleventh Grammy, won just earlier this week in what even she considered a stunning upset. It was for Song of the Year, winning for the first time as a composer for the song Just Like That from her latest album. She’s not only a great singer and songwriter, she’s a badass slide guitarist. Winning at the age of 73 proves that the generation of artists we built this station around has staying power. We’ve updated the playlist as well to include our favorite newer songs by Bonnie.

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Bobbie Gentry FINAL AIRING!

This is the final airing of Bobbie Gentry as our featured singer-songwriter this week. She was an amazing songwriter who just wanted to write songs for others to sing, but it didn’t quite work out that way. She charted 11 singles before she moved into what we consider early retirement in the late seventies. She never wanted the limelight, but her unique talents changed her path for a time.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Carole King

This evening we celebrate Carole King, who is not only in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Her list of compositions has got to be more than a mile long. On February 9, Carole King turned 81 years young, and today is the 52nd anniversary of the release of her seminal album Tapestry.

Every month is Woman’s month here in The Mermaid Lounge, but you can expect a little more focus as we move into March and International Women’s Month. We’re giving you a preview here. We’re totally free 24/7 with no commercial advertising. As we continue to say, it’s all about the music.

Ladies Invited Day!