Category: Acoustic Music

On Monday, ‘We Dissent,’ We Have Emmylou & Friends Live for a Good Cause, and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles ‘In the Spotlight’ Later, August 4, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to another work week. We kick it off in style with a fantastic programming lineup. Read on for details!

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

9:00 a.m. We Dissent: Various Artists New Songs Added!

Protest music is powerful, and we’ve got a great collection here. In the era of Trump’s regime, we will be amping up our protest music roots. We’ve added a couple of great songs to the end of this list. We nearly forgot the great Beach Boys tune, Student Demonstration Time. It was something nobody expected from the boys of summer. We’ve also added a song a lot of people do not know exists called, Old Man Trump, which was written by Woody Guthrie about The Orange Scourge’s racist slumlord father. Back in the day Woody lived in one of his dumps. Woody never got to record the song himself, but it was evetually released by folk singer Ryan Harvey with help from Ani DiFranco and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine. We’ve added that song today.

Other artists you’ll hear are The Beatles, Pete Seeger, Barry McGuire, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Tracy Chapman, and more!

4:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & Friends, Concerts for a Landmine-Free World, December 1999 into 2000 NEW!

We have a fantastic recording here of great acoustic music from Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, John Prine, Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, and Bruce Cockburn. We know this was the first show, so we believe it was held at Stanford University in December 1999. They were held around the world into 2000, including Washington, D.C., Glasgow, London, Stockholm, and Oslo. We’re trying to get a better handle on the specifics, but there’s no need to hold up airing this for the details.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

We close it out with a band that was instrumental in establishing the Motown brand back in the day.

We’re ready for a new work week, and we’re playing the best music on the planet totally free of charge and free of commercial interruption. See for yourselves. The button is below.

WE DISSENT!

We End the Month With ‘Great Beginnings,’ Live Dr. John, and Great Instrumental Songs, On Friday, July 31, 2025

We kick things off today with songs that have great openings, sometimes subtle, sometimes not. Then it’s on to Dr. John live in NY, and a lost genre in great instrumental songs!

Here’s your finally Friday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Great Beginnings: Various Artists

Today we begin with great beginnings! Songs that have great opening riffs and some more subtle great openings. You’ll hear The Beatles, Elton John, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, the J. Geils Band, Aretha Franklin, Yes, Chicago, The Who, Johnny Rivers, The Kinks, Electric Light Orchestra, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band, The Temptations, CSNY, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, ZZ Top, Badfinger, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steely Dan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Paul Simon, The Chambers Brothers and more!

4:00 p.m. Dr. John Live at Ultrasonic Studios, Hempstead, NY, November 6, 1973

We spend some time this afternoon with the Nitetripper live at Ultrasonic. This guy never disappoints.

8:00 p.m. Instrumentally Speaking: Various Artists

It’s been a long time since we aired this one. It’s overdue. You’ll hear instrumentals from The Beatles, Mason Williams, The Edgar Winter Group, The Allman Brothers Band, Electric Light Orchestra, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Paul McCartney, King Crimson, Steely Dan, Traffic, Little Feat, the J. Geils Band, and more!

Let’s get it going. We start bright and early. Just hit the button below and you’ll see how easy it is to tune in to the greatest music on the planet!

Get On It!

At Midweek, the Ladies are Large and in Charge, The Stone Poneys are ‘In the Spotlight,’ and Steve Winwood is Live at Estival, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got a great lineup today with five uninterrupted hours of women’s music, then its on to The Stone Poneys and Steve Winwood!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

The ladies take over The Mermaid Lounge this morning with music from Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, 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, Susan Tedeschi, Sheryl Crow, Valerie Carter, Dolly Parton, Dusty Springfield, Ann Peebles and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Stone Poneys

This afternoon we delve into very early Linda Ronstadt who left Tucson to join friends Bobby Kimmel and Kenny Edwards to seek musical fame and fortune in L.A. Thus, this great folk-rock band was born. It’s an excellent playlist.

8:00 p.m. Steve Winwood Live at The Estival Jazz Festival, Piazza della Riforma, Lugano, Switzerland, July 4, 2013

We close it out with a great performance from Steve Winwood, a legend, at the Estival Jazz Festival.

Yadda. Yadda. We’re here. We’re free. We’re on 24/7 with no commercial interruption. See for yourselves. The button is below!

The Button.

Midweek Brings ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’, a Don McLean ‘Spotlight,’ and Live Peter, Paul & Mary, On Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Good morning, folk music lovers. We’ve got a folksy midweek music excursion starting with out big folk music EP, followed by Don McLean, and Peter, Paul & Mary live at Newport!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

We kick it off with the genre that birthed the protest song. It was folk, not rock, although rock adopted the practice. You’ll hear John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Eric Andersen, Bonnie Raitt, The Band, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Don McLean

The man who is best known for the anthem American Pie was so much more than that. Over his career, he released more than 40 gold and platinum records. He’s ‘In the Spotlight’ this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Peter, Paul & Mary Live at The Newport Folk Festival, Freebody Park, Newport, RI, 1963-1965 NEW!

We close out the programming with a collection of PPM’s live performances at the legendary Newport Folk Festival.

It’s a folksy day here in The Mermaid Lounge, and that’s always a treat. The genre goes in and out of style, but never goes away and we’re thankful for that. Remember that before, in between and after, we give you our big, wide Open Stream! The button is below!

Just Push Play!

At Midweek It’s ‘Music From Laurel Canyon,’ Joni Mitchell Live at Club 47, and a Sam Cooke ‘Spotlight,’ on July 16, 2025

We’re at midweek and we’ve got a Laurel Canyon focus with our EP and some live Joni Mitchell, then we close with the King of Soul, Sam Cooke, ‘In the Spotlight.’

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

We’ve got two decades of musicians who feasted on the creative energy of Laurel Canyon to start, with The Byrds, The Mamas & Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins. and more!

4:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Club 47, Cambridge, MA, January 10, 1968

Club 47 was a hotbed of great folk music in Cambridge hosting many stars like Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and, of course, the great Joni Mitchell. We have her live today in a 1968 performance. It’s time for the Wayback Machine!

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Sam Cooke

We close with another legend known as the King of Soul, Sam Cooke.

I’m on the run, so I’m not going to give you my usual closing here. Suffice it to say, we’re on 24/7 playing the greatest music on the planet, so just hit the button below to see for yourselves!

Music From Laurel Canyon!

On Tuesday Bluesday It’s ‘Ladies Sing The Blues,’ Live Howlin’ Wolf, and a Jimmy Reed ‘Spotlight’ Feature, On July 15, 2025

Good morning, bluesologists! We open it up with the ladies of the blues large and in charge, then it’s live Howlin’ Wolf, and a Jimmy Reed ‘Spotlight’ feature!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Sing The Blues: Various Artists

Music from long ago combined with current abounds here with Billie Holiday, Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Koko Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Marcia Ball, Ellen McIlwaine, Susan Tedeschi, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, Shawn Murphy, Angela Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads, and more!

4:00 p.m. Howlin’ Wolf Live at Alice’s Revisited, Chicago, IL, January 26, 1972

This is rarity here, and we’re on the hunt for more live Howlin’ Wolf, but today we have him live from Alice’s Revisited in Chicago.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jimmy Reed

The son of a sharecropper, Jimmy Reed’s amazing guitar style made the blues accessible to a wide audience.

Remember, before, in between, and after we give you our big, wide Open Stream. We’re on 24/7, 365 days a year at no charge to our listening public. Give it a try. The button is below!

Ladies Sing The Blues!

On Monday, It’s ‘The Trio Sessions,’ John Fogerty ‘In the Spotlight,’ and Jimi Hendrix Experience Live in L.A., On July 7, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We’re back to Monday and we’ve got a great lineup to start your week, beginning with a supergroup that nobody who writes about music ever calls a ‘supergroup.’ That’s probably because they’re women. We will call them that because that’s exactly what Trio is, a supergroup.

Here’s your musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Trio Sessions: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt

A true, bona fide supergroup of brilliant women, who were also friends, made some incredible music together (much like the Traveling Wilburys). Today we give you the songs, some alternative versions, remixes, remasters, and more! A great way to start a Monday for sure.

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of John Fogerty

This afternoon we give you the legendary John Fogerty, leader, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Creedence Clearwater Revival, and also from his very successful solo career. Don’t be confused. He did release an album called The Blue Ride Rangers, but this was to distance himself from his CCR legend. Fogerty played all the instruments. It was his first solo release, and his name was not mentioned on the cover.

8:00 p.m. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live at the Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles, CA, April 26, 1969

It’s into the Wayback Machine for this one. The Experience was recorded live on this day during the band’s final North American tour.

Another day off from work is always welcome, even if it’s hot as the blazes outside. It certainly cool here in The Mermaid Lounge. We’re on 24/7 at no charge to the listening public. All you need to do is hit the button below. No subscription required.

TRIO is back!

On Independence Day, ‘We Dissent’ Mightily For Several Hours, Then It’s The Grateful Dead Live in Boston, July 4, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We have little to celebrate today, so we are playing the best protests songs for more than four hours. The list has been culled from hours of research and organization, and it is our newest EP. We follow that with Live Dead!

Here’s your Independence Day lineup:

10:00 a.m. We Dissent: Various Artists

We kick it off with our newest EP as we dissent where we are in history for more than four hours, and the playlist will be growing soon. You will hear the music of The Who, The Beatles, Tracy Chapman, Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, Billie Holiday, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Peter, Paul & Mary, Pete Seeger, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Buffalo Springfield, The Temptations, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley & The Wailers, and more!

6:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD: The Grateful Dead Live at The Music Hall, Boston, MA, June 9, 1976

We’ll close out the programming this evening with a great episode of LIVE DEAD as we give you the band live from Boston’s Music Hall.

Before, in between, and after we give you our big, wide Open Stream. We’re anti-capitalist, and we’re serious about keeping it that way. We run no commercial advertising, we don’t require a ‘subscription’ and we don’t ask for your personal information. See for yourselves. The button is below.

We Dissent!

At Midweek We’ve Got An Open Stream Day All Day, On Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Good morning, musicologists. We take a break from the programming today to give you an all-day big, wide Open Stream. Who knows what The Music Mermaid will come up with?

We’ll be back tomorrow with our regularly-scheduled programming, including some brand new music and playlists! The button is below.

OPEN STREAM!

We’re Folksy Today With Our Big EP, a Judy Collins ‘Spotlight,’ and Live Joni Mitchell and JT Tonight, Sunday, June 22, 2025

Good morning, folk music lovers! We’ve got a great lineup today that gives you hours of great folk music starting right off at 9:00 a.m. Read on for details!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

From old to new to those who keep the genre alive, including Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Odetta, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Lead Belly, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Judy Collins

This afternoon we hear from the folk maven whose career has spanned seven decades, including 36 studio albums and nine live albums.

8:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell & James Taylor Live at The Paris Theatre, London, UK, October 29, 1970

We close out the days programming with two musical greats when they were ‘a thing’ in a live performance from London.

We’re all about folk today, and we’re all about the music every day on a 24/7 basis at no charge and with no commercial interruption. See for yourselves. The button is below.

Folk Music Rules!