Category: Acoustic Music

Our Roots are Showing With The ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’ EP, Baez Sings Dylan, Shawn Colvin, and LIVE DEAD! Later, Saturday, July 16, 2022

It’s another full-on Saturday here in The Mermaid Lounge with some great folk music roots showing through today. You won’t want to miss this one!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-to-Z: Various Artist

This one’s always a treat, folks. We’ve got the luminaries of the folk music scene along with those who pay very able tribute to the craft. Folk represents the origins of the protest music movement in so many ways. You’ll hear Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, 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, Joni Mitchell, The Stone Poneys, Harry Chapin, Phil Ochs, The Kingston Trio, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Jackson Browne, The Carter Family and many more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Baez Sings Dylan by Joan Baez FINAL AIRING!

What can we say about this one. The perfect album for a folk music kind of day. This is the swan song for this one. We’ve got a brand new album all ready for tomorrow.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Shawn Colvin

Today we put a great artist In the Spotlight in Shawn Colvin, a woman who has one foot firmly planted in folk and another wherever she pleases at any given moment. One thing is for certain, you always know Shawn Colvin’s true roots.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at The Roscoe Maples Pavillion, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, February 9, 1973 NEW!

We’ve got another new soundboard recording of The Dead, this one from Palo Alto. Almost thought I’d have a rare repeat until this one fell in our lap here. Enjoy.

We’re cooking here in The Lounge today with The Music Mermaid at the helm. You’ll be in great hands while I spend my final day toiling with the entitled consumer masses. She’s ready and raring to go as we get off to an early start. And remember, we’re always 100%, no-strings-attached, no surprises free. All day every day for eternity.

Folk Music Fiesta!

Today We’re ‘Under The Influence’ in the Best Possible Way, and We Have Some Live Warren Zevon Later, Friday, July 15, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We are finally at week’s end here, and we’re falling ‘Under The Influence’ with our spectacular multi-artist EP. Later, Warren Zevon pays us a visit.

Today, we’re ‘Under The Influence’ starting at 11:00 a.m. EST

Here’s your Friday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

Today, we’ve got a great lineup of artists who will put you under the influence. You’ll hear Arlo Guthrie, The Byrds, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Jefferson Airplane, 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 many more!

7:00 p.m. Warren Zevon Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK, January 25, 1988

This appearance was broadcast on BBC Radio. Undoubtedly one of the most personally destructive artists on the planet, but that may have been what made him so damned good. He was also, without a doubt, one hell of a great singer-songwriter. Flawed, but brilliant. He was laboring in obscurity until someone named Linda Ronstadt discovered his genius.

Join us. We’ve got all that great wide Open Stream coursing through the modest programming we have. Even most of our playlists are multi-artist. We think we strike a great balance here. We too labor in obscurity because we have no dollars to spend on promoting. Please share our stuff if you like us. And did I mention we’re totally 100% without strings free?

Under The Influence!

We Inch Closer to The Weekend With Our ‘Paint It Black’ Playlist, John Prine In The Spotlight, and Our AOW, Thursday, July 14, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! Here we are again on the weekend doorstep and we’ve got some really great stuff for you today interspersed among all that wide Open Stream!

Here’s your musical landscape for Thursday:

11:00 a.m. Paint It Black: Various Artists

Yes, today it’s songs about black, the color. In the title, lyrics or both. You’ll hear The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Wallflowers, The Doobie Brothers, The Move, Steely Dan, Johnny Cash, Amy Winehouse, The Hollies, Stephen Stills, Warren Zevon, The Band, Nina Simone, Tom Rush, k.d. lang, The Grateful Dead, Fairport Convention, Dr. John, The Kinks, Guy Clark, J. D. Souther, Curtis Mayfield, Linda Ronstadt, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and more!

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Baez Sings Dylan by Joan Baez

This is our next-to-last airing of this week’s AOW. The final airing will be sometime on Saturday. On Sunday, we’ll have a brand new selection to play for you.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of John Prine

We bring John Prine back into the spotlight. He’s been gone for far too long. We’ve got a new Prine playlist coming, along with some new ‘live’ music from him. In the meantime, we’ve got a great spotlight feature while we wait. One of the greatest singer-songwriters of his generation here. Included in this playlist is his live version of Angel From Montgomery with Bonnie Raitt.

Come on, folks. We’ve got a International meeting of the minds currently tuned in with listeners from the UK, Chile, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, Australia, Russian Federation, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Switzerland, and points beyond. Join them.

Cursor here, please.

We’re at Midweek With Our ‘Are You Ready for The Country?’ EP, and Traffic ‘live’ at the Paris Theatre Later, Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! It’s hot enough to boil a monkey’s bum in these parts, but we’re keeping cool with some great music in The Mermaid Lounge.

We’ve got just one question for you today.

Here’s your midweek musical landscape:

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

Well, are you? We explore some (real) country music and then we have the birth of country-rock from Laurel Canyon mixed in. You’ll hear Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, 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, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Dan Fogelberg, New Riders of The Purple Sage, and more!

7:00 p.m. Traffic Live From The Paris Theatre, London, UK, April 30, 1970 NEW!

From country to a bit of psychodelia right here in The Mermaid Lounge as we give you Traffic live from the UK. Our many UK listeners are tuned in right now, in fact.

Here we go again, folks. Another day in Hades as we reach the ugly days of summer here in the Boston area. Not my favorite time of year from mid-July to about mid-August. But as we say here, you can’t pick the weather, so you might as well pick good music. And so we are. Then, we’re sharing with you free of charge 24/7 ’round the clock. No commercial interruption, and no need for a credit card.

Are You Ready?

It’s Tuesday Bluesday and We’ve Got Our ‘The Best of Chicago Blues’ EP and Marcia Ball In The Spotlight Later, July 12, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! We’ve got our great extended playlist featuring the Chicago Blues today along with Marcia Ball later. Sandwiched in between is our Album of The Week.

It’s The Best of Chicago Blues to kick off the day at 10:00 a.m.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

This just officially grew up and became an EP in June, and you will hear 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!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Baez Sings Dylan by Joan Baez

This is the second airing of this great album, as we inject a little bit of folk into the day. We have the work of two folk luminaries here.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Marcia Ball

Marcia Ball is a blues singer, songwriter and superb pianist raised in Vinton, Louisiana. Her style is best summed up as a marriage of Texas stomp-rock and Louisiana swamp-blues. She was awarded the Contemporary Blues Album of The year in both 2002 and 2004. If you don’t know Marcia Ball, you should tune this Spotlight feature in tonight.

Here we are again. Before, after and in between our programming we’ve got wide Open Stream courtesy of The Music Mermaid. We run 24/7 uninterrupted by commercial advertising. And did I mention that we’re totally 100% free, no strings attached. Ever.

The Best of Chicago Blues!

It’s Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge and We’ve Got “Baez Sings Dylan” as The AOW, and Our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP, July 10, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We’re here in The Mermaid Lounge on this fine, sunny Sunday and we’ve got a great AOW selection as well as our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP to get you through the day.

We give you ‘Baez Sings Dylan’ as our Album of The Week starting this evening

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

The women of music take front and center today as we here in The Lounge take to the streets for Roe v. Wade. You’ll hear Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, 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, Roseanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, Nicolette Larson, Valerie Carter, Sheryl Crow and more!

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Baez Sings Dylan NEW!

There is no question that we have two luminaries of the folk movement on this album as Joan Baez pays tribute to Bob Dylan. They first met in 1961 and collaborated on music for several years before becoming intimately involved. Even after the relationship ended they continued to make music together and have remained friends over the years. Dylan continues to tour, while Joan Baez has formally retired from the road. We will soon have Spotlight features for both.

It’s a day of rest, and there’s no better way to kick back than with some really great music. That’s what you get here. No commercial interruptions. No overly talkative DJs. Nope. Not here. And guess what else is no good here: Your money. Because we are 100% no-strings-attached free 24/7. We don’t stop when the programming stops. We have continuous wide Open Stream with more than 27,000 songs in our collection. We’re all about the music.

Ladies Day Out!

We Head to the Weekend With Lucinda Williams In the Spotlight, Jethro Tull ‘Live’ On Stage and Our Steely Dan AOW, Thursday, July 7, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We begin the final slide toward the weekend today with some great programming. This is the place to be.

Later today we bring you some ‘live’ Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull.

Here’s your musical journey:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Lucinda Williams

Ah, Lucinda Williams, a Louisiana native with that great twang in her voice as she sings the blues, some country, country-rock, folk and whatever she just about wants. She is undoubtedly one of the great treasures in popular music, somewhat underappreciated but certainly not by her peers. We’ve got her In the Spotlight to start off the day.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: The Royal Scam by Steely Dan

This is the next-to-last airing of this week’s selection by The Dan, a band whose albums never disappoint as they’ve successfully managed to marry their great jazzy arrangements with their insatiable rock energy. On Sunday, this one will be in the record books. Saturday will be the final airing. Plan wisely.

7:00 p.m. Jethro Tull Live at The Capitol Centre, Landover, MD, November 21, 1977

I don’t know how many of you have had the opportunity to see the band live on stage, but I’ve seen them a few times in my day. There is no way to describe Ian Anderson on stage, and you’re certainly not watching video here, but his flute playing is legendary and their songs are timeless.

Get on it, people. It’s all downhill from here and you might as well make it an enjoyable slide into the weekend, where we some more great program awaits your arrival. We’re on 24/7 with no commercial interruption and we won’t cost you anything but time.

Just Do It, People!

It’s Midweek Once Again With Our ‘Travelin’ Fever’ EP and a Long-Awaited Wilbury Wednesday Coming at You on July 6, 2022

Good Morning, Road Warriors! If you’re the traveling kind, then this day is perfect for you. We’ve not only got our ‘Travelin’ Fever’ EP, but it’s a long-needed Wilbury Wednesday!

The Traveling Wilburys in the post-Roy Orbison timeframe

Here’s your midweek lineup:

10:00 a.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

Road music. That’s what we’ve got here from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Canned Heat, the Steve Miller Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Doors, The Eagles, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Traveling Wilburys, Asleep at The Wheel, The Byrds, Joan Baez, Mudcrutch, Loggins & Messina, Buffalo Springfield and more!

7:00 p.m. WILBURY WEDNESDAY! The Traveling Wilburys: The Bootleg Collection

It has been far too long between Wilbury Wednesdays and we aim to rectify that little problem today. We’ve got it all here: rough cuts, alternate versions, special sessions, and the final product all rolled into one great playlist. One musical journey that should not be missed!

This is undoubtedly a most excellent day to choose this little station, particularly if you like to sit and daydream about getting out of this right-wing gulag. But that’s another story for another day. We’d love to have you join your friends from around the globe today. The first time will not be the last time.

Wilbury Wednesday is Here!

We Interrupt Our Programming to Bring You Tuesday Bluesday With Some ‘Live’ Janis Joplin and Johnny Winter, July 5, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! It’s another Tuesday Bluesday as we give you a couple of great ‘live’ performances, one from Janis and the other from Johnny Winter. In between, we sneak in our AOW.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Janis Joplin Live at Winterland, San Francisco, CA, April 12, 1968

We’ve got early Janis here for you today as she belts out the blues from a legendary stage. She was one of the greatest as she easily walked the line between blues and rock.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: The Royal Scam by Steely Dan

It’s our second airing of this great album. No matter how many albums they made, the one thing you can be sure of is that you instantly recognize more than just the ‘hits.’ That’s the sign of greatness in our book.

7:00 p.m. Johnny Winter Live at Parker’s Place, Seattle, WA, March 9, 1985 NEW!

I’ve been on the hunt for some new ‘live’ music to add to the playlist collection, and I found this gem from Johnny Winter, one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time. Johnny was no slouch at the mike either. He was an excellent blues belter.

Tune us in as we pay homage to the blues this, and every, Tuesday here in The Mermaid Lounge. You simply cannot go wrong. We are totally free. Your money is no good here. And we are also free of advertising. We don’t accept any. In short, it’s all music all the time.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

Monday Starts Our Summer of Love Run, We Have The Heartbreakers Covering Others, and New ‘Live’ Music From The Band, July 4, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists and welcome to another Monday! Forget the date, folks, we’re not celebrating the nation until this march to fascism is halted and we all have the same rights as the rich, bloated white men that own the GOP. Today, the only thing we celebrate is music.

The Summer of Love starts the day off at 11:00 a.m.

Here’s today’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. The Summer of Love, Volume One: Various Artists

Proving once again that misinformation is everywhere, I often see 1969 heralded as the year of ‘The Summer of Love.’ Nope. In fact, it was 1967, and the Summer of Love ran from June to October. And while we here in The Mermaid Lounge know that it wasn’t all peace n’ love in the sixties, that cultural time in history produced some of the greatest music on the planet. You’ll hear The Electric Prunes, The Yardbirds, The Box Tops, Petula Clark, The Rolling Stones, Grace Slick & The Great Society, Cream, The Doors, The Association, The Spencer-Davis Group, Donovan, The Grass Roots, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Paul Revere & The Raiders and more! This is volume one. You’ll also be hearing volumes two and three later this week!

3:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Under the Covers

One of the greatest rock n’ roll bands of all time was also one of the greatest cover bands of all time. Today Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers cover those who inspired them, including J.J. Cale, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Carole King, The Byrds, Bob Dylan and The Clash, to name a few.

7:00 p.m. The Band Live From Kosei Nenkin Hall, Tokyo, Japan, September 2, 1983 NEW!

We’ve got a brand new ‘live’ performance for you from one of the most influential bands in the history of popular music. They started as Bob Dylan’s back-up band but became a force in their own right. It’s hard to describe the magic of The Band, but it’s real. And they are just great on stage.

Listen, you could do worse on a Monday. Most people have this particular Monday off, and what better day to give us a shot and join your friends from around the globe. Today we have folks from Chile, Canada, Poland, Germany, the UK, Croatia, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Norway, The Netherlands, Cleveland, Dallas, and Frisco tuned in. Where are you today?

The Summer of Love