Category: Acoustic Music

We Hit Our Midweek Stride With Our ‘Travelin’ Fever’ EP and Laura Nyro Live at The Fillmore, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Good Morning, Travelers and Daydreamers. Today we’ve got our EP all about hitting the road, and we continue our celebration of the women of music with Laura Nyro.

Laura Nyro is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of her generation.

Here’s your midweek line-up:

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

When we were kids, my friends and I dreamed of buying a VW van and driving across country. We pretty much never made it out of the driveway, although we did drive to Nashville to visit the Grand Ole Opry. In this playlist you’ll hear Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg, The Box Tops, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Canned Heat, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, The Eagles, Janis Joplin, Del Shannon, Guy Clark, Asleep at the Wheel, Jesse Winchester, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Led Zeppelin, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, Willie Nelson, the Marshall Tucker Band, Fats Domino and more!

7:00 p.m. Laura Nyro, Live at The Fillmore East, New York, NY, March 30, 1971

Sweet Blindness, Gonna’ Take a Miracle, Stoned Soul Picnic, Eli’s Coming…Laura Nyro wrote some brilliant songs that put others on the map. But there’s nothing quite like hearing her sing them herself. See for yourself tonight at 7:00 p.m.

We’re out there playing music for your listening pleasure 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. All totally free of charge, and we do not accept any advertising. We pay for this out of pocket as a labor of love. Tune us in. We’re not kidding here. No strings.

We’re Free 24/7

It’s Tuesday Bluesday and We Celebrate The Blues and Women’s Week Together, March 8, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! Yes, it’s Tuesday Bluesday and today we manage to deliver the blues and continue our tribute to the women of music quite handily, I must say!

We’ve got The Best of Chicago Blues on tap this morning!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday line-up:

11:00 a.m. The Best of Chicago Blues: Various Artists

Yeah, this one is scheduled for an upgrade in the near future, but it’s still pretty damned good. You’ll hear Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, Howlin’ Wolf, Magic Slim, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks, Buddy Guy, Sonny Boy Williamson, and more! My friend Dave loves the Chicago Blues. He tunes it in every time.

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Home Plate by Bonnie Raitt

It’s perfect that this is our album of the week. Call it serendipity. Although Bonnie Raitt refuses to be pigeon-holed into one specific style of music and has expanded her repertoire over her long career, she is still a blues artist at heart and every song she makes has that blues aura about it. This album delivers on that. And did I mention that she plays that slide guitar like she was practicing in the womb?

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

Here we have another great female blues artist who has been at it for nearly half a century. Born in Orange, Texas and raised in Vinton, Louisiana, she’s more than qualified to sing the blues. USA Today once described Marcia Ball as “a sensational, saucy singer and superb pianist… where Texas stomp-rock and Louisiana blues-swamp meet.” If you don’t know her by now, perhaps this is an excellent time to get to know her.

Every Tuesday is a blues day here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we are always on the hunt for great blues music to add to our repertoire. Join listeners today from Canada, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, the UK, and points beyond. We’re totally free 24/7. The music never stops.

Tuesday Bluesday!

We Barrel Into Women’s Week With A Broad Spectrum of Programming From The Pioneers, on Monday, March 7, 2022

Good Morning, aficionados of music, particularly women’s music. Let’s face it, women still get the short end of the stick in the music world. And I’m not talking contractually. I’m talking as someone who listens to other radio stations and knows that women still do not get enough air time.

These are just a few of the women you’ll hear today!

Here’s your opening day line-up:

11:00 a.m. The All-Girl Revue, Volume Four: Various Artists

We’ve got five volumes of this so far, and this is the one we haven’t heard in the longest time. So, today is the day we break it out. You’ll hear Linda Ronstadt, Nicolette Larson, Shawn Colvin, The Shirelles, Phoebe Snow, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Rosanne Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Carole King, Valerie Carter, Petula Clark, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, and more!

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Aretha Franklin

It’s only fitting that the first one In the Spotlight this week is the undisputed Queen of Soul, the first woman ever inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and whose career spanned a half century.

7:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt & Friends: Duets and More

In spite of her incredibly successful solo career and her position as the Queen of Rock during the 70’s, Linda Ronstadt always preferred singing with others and dreamed of being in a girl group. She finally achieved that when she joined up with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris for the Trio albums. Here you’ll hear her sing with J. D. Souther, Randy Newman Ry Cooder, Hoyt Axton, Wendy Waldman, Neil Young, Ann Savoy, Paul Simon, Rosemary Clooney, Aaron Neville, Maria Muldaur and more. And you’ll hear her as lead vocalist, background singer, and harmony singer.

Every week is women’s week here in The Mermaid Lounge. People who listen to us regularly already know that. But this is a very special week, and we’re very happy to put the pedal to the metal and give you that little extra. We’re always free, and we’re always on the air 24/7. What could be better?

WOMEN’S WEEK!

We Kick Off International Women’s Week With Our ‘The Female Species’ EP, and Bonnie Raitt Owns Our Album of The Week, Sunday, March 6, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! You all know we’re focused on giving women a greater broadcast voice in music, and what better way to do that than celebrating International Women’s Week! We’ve got a great line-up for you today, and great plans for the week.

We kick off International Women’s Week today!

Here’s today’s line-up:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Home Plate by Bonnie Raitt NEW!

Home Plate, released in 1975, was Bonnie Raitt’s fifth studio album. Although she’s mostly described as a blues singer, Bonnie Raitt has managed to expand that repertoire over the years while maintaining her blues roots. And did we mention she plays that Fender Stratocaster like she was born with it in her hands? She is one of the finest slide guitarists on the planet. I loved Bonnie Raitt before this album. After Home Plate was released, it became adoration.

3:00 p.m. The Female Species: Various Artists

This will be a week to celebrate the women of music, but we start with songs that celebrate women, ladies, girls in the title, lyrics or both. Women have long been the subject of much joy and heartache in the music world, and we’ll give it to you here. You’ll hear from Talking Heads, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jackson Browne, The Boogaloo Swamis, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Fleetwood Mac, Electric Light Orchestra, Percy Sledge, The Beatles, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, America, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Temptations, and more!

We updated this list in February, so there’s an updated playlist under the Playlist tab of this blog.

This may seem like a modest start to the festivities, but stick around. The week is just beginning. We have some old favorites on tap and some new additions as we bolster our rotation with new and diverse women’s music.

Welcome To Women’s Week!

The Original Sixties Rotation EP, The Final Airing of “Revelator” and LIVE DEAD! Later, Saturday, March 5, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! It has certainly been a challenging week having to put in more hours than normal in retail hell, but hey, the music is fine here in The Mermaid Lounge.

We’ve got the ORIGINAL Sixties Rotation EP on tap for today!

Here’s Saturday’s line-up:

9:00 a.m. The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

Today we bring you the music that inspired our little radio station and launched a new generation of music never to be equaled. You’ll hear The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Mary Wells,, Dusty Springfield, Tommy James & The Shondells, The Drifters, The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Hollies, Petula Clark, Buddy Holly, The Kinks, Neil Diamond, The Band, The Yardbirds, The Searchers, The Rolling Stones, Donovan, Bob Dylan, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, and more.

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Revelator by Tedeschi Trucks Band FINAL AIRING!

Today we bid a fond farewell to Revelator, the great studio debut album by the Tedeschi Trucks Band. When you wake up on Sunday, we’ll have a brand new selection for you.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at Assembly Hall, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, February 22, 1973 NEW!

Another great soundboard concert from the road warriors, this one from the University of Illinois. Remember, no two shows are ever the same…even on the same tour.

Great day to tune us in. Before, in between, and after, we have our great wide Open Stream courtesy of The Music Mermaid, who is always fully in charge and ready to go. We run on musical adrenalin 24/7 with no commercial interruptions and no endless DJ chatter. Just music.

The Sixties!

We’ve Got an Open Stream Thursday Laced With Trifectas All Day Long, But First We Open With Our AOW, March 3, 2022

Hey, Music Lovers! We’ve got our first totally Open Stream day in a while and The Music Mermaid is fully in charge. We’ve also got Trifectas scheduled all day, and they are listed below!

Here’s the lay of the land for Thursday:

8:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Revelator by Tedeschi Trucks Band

Again, let me say how much I love this album. They were always a killer band on stage, but this album proves that they are a killer in the studio.

The rest of the day is wide Open Stream with Trifectas:

10:00 a.m. Paul Revere & The Raiders

11:00 a.m. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

12:00 p.m. The Lovin’ Spoonful

1:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

2:00 p.m. Valerie Carter

3:00 p.m. Carole King

4:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris

5:00 p.m. Badfinger

6:00 p.m. The Rolling Stones

7:00 p.m. The Rascals

Get on it, people. It’s free. We take no commercial advertising. We do not ask for personal information. We just play music. That’s all. 24/7. Non-stop.

Wide Open Stream!

We Hit Our Midweek Stride With a Totally Motown Day Here In The Mermaid Lounge, Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Good Morning, R & B Lovers! We’re at midweek and we will feature the second airing of our new M is For Motown EP, and we will put Stevie Wonder In the Spotlight later!

Here’s your Motown programming:

10:00 a.m. M is For Motown: Various Artists

We sure do love our soul and R & B music here in The Mermaid Lounge. We have an EP called A Little Bit O’ Soul which is also quite popular with listeners, but this is a fairly new EP covering just Motown artists. This is only its second airing. You’ll hear The Spinners, The Jackson Five, The Temptations, The Supremes, Jimmy Ruffin, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Isley Brothers, Martha & The Vandellas, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, Edwin Starr, The Marvellettes, Billy Preston, Mary Wells, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Eddie Kendricks, Rare Earth, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, and more!

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

Stevie Wonder’s name is synonymous with Motown. His first song, Fingertips, was released in 1963, and was a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when he was just 13 years old, making him the youngest person ever to top the charts. Since then, he has become a pioneer in R & B, soul, funk, jazz, pop, and rock. He reached the pinnacle of his success in the seventies. Tune him in tonight for a real treat.

Before, in between, and after the programming, we’ve got wide Open Stream courtesy of The Music Mermaid. As you well know, she has impeccable taste in music and makes sure it’s playing 24/7 without commercial interruption or endless DJ chatter. What could be better?

MOTOWN!

We Spend Saturday With the Musicians of Laurel Canyon, Say Goodbye To “Meet The Beatles” and Hear LIVE DEAD! Later, February 26, 2022

Good Morning, Weekenders! We’ve got them on from all around the globe this morning, but our friends in Germany are far and away the most populous. We’ve got a great Saturday of programming lined up, so let’s not waste any time.

Today we spend time with the musical pioneers of the Laurel Canyon scene.

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

For two generations of musicians (the 60s and 70s), Laurel Canyon was the place to be. It was a commune of creative activity, with all of these guys feeding off each other musically to create some of the most amazing sounds and songs in popular music history. You’ll hear The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, The Mamas & The Papas, The Monkees, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, CSNY, Neil Young, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Bonnie Raitt, Canned Heat, The Eagles, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and more! This is just about five hours of uninterrupted music.

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Meet The Beatles by The Beatles FINAL AIRING!

We bid a fond farewell today to our Album of The Week, what I call the musical shot heard ’round the world. During his Musicares speech in 2017, Mr. Petty said when he heard The Beatles for the first time he had his eyes opened, like everybody else. We agree. Tomorrow, however, we will have a new selection.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at The Fillmore East, New York, January 2, 1970 NEW!

We have featured several of The Dead’s road performances from the Fillmore West, but this is our first airing of a show from The Fillmore East, a venue that certainly doesn’t get as much attention as it’s West Coast counterpart, but a great venue that hosted some amazing acts as well. It was part of that cross-pollination project. This is another new soundboard recording. Enjoy.

Saturday is always a good day here in The Mermaid Lounge. This one is no exception. Hey, I have to serve the retail masses, but we’ve got you covered. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor retail will break our stride. The Music Mermaid is in charge, baby, and she’s on top of this shit. So, tune us in. You don’t need a subscription or a credit card or anything else. Just a computer.

Park It Here

It’s Snowing Outside The Mermaid Lounge, but We’ve Got Our Sixties Rotation EP and Donovan In The Spotlight To Get Us Through This Mess, Friday, February 25, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! If you live here in the Boston area, you know that we were all standing outside a couple of days ago without so much as a jacket on. Today? Today, it’s another foot of snow. Welcome to New England in February. But we’ve got some hot tunes here for you today.

Comin’ at you at 11:00 a.m. EST. The music that inspired us!

Here’s your Friday musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

There’s no sense denying it, we here in The Mermaid Lounge are lost in the past and find no release in most (but not all) of today’s music. People tell me I must be open-minded, but I actually don’t. Nope. Life is too short to listen to bad music. So, we don’t. This is the music that inspired the station. You’ll hear The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Four Tops, Buffalo Springfield, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Donovan, The Box Tops, Vanilla Fudge, Sly & The Family Stone, Cream, The Zombies, The Doors, The Chambers Brothers, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Who, The Temptations, and more! That’s five hours of commercial-free, uninterrupted music.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Donovan

Donovan was a very big part of the sixties sounds, so his presence in the spotlight today is particularly fitting. His unique sound came from fusing pop, jazz, folk, psychedelic rock and world music. He was a favorite when I was young, and remains so today.

In a few hours, I’ll be digging myself out and heading off to work. But if you don’t have to be anywhere today, this would be a great day to tune us in. All you have to do is give us a shot. And we’re not talking about buying a subscription that you can “cancel anytime.” Don’t you love that shit? We do not require a credit card or a subscription here. The only thing you must have is an Internet connection. End of story.

The Sixties Are Back!

We’re Heading For The Weekend With Our New ‘In Your Dreams’ EP, and Our Album of The Week Later, Thursday, February 24, 2022

Good Morning, Dreamers! We’ve got a great, new extended playlist making its debut this morning. ‘In Your Dreams’ gives you just over five hours of uninterrupted music! Read on for details!

Are you dreaming of five hours of uninterrupted music?

10:00 a.m. In Your Dreams: Various Artists NEW!

We debut our newest long player today, called In Your Dreams, a playlist that includes the word dreams (and its variations, of course) in the title or lyrics…or a song that tells a story about a dream. You will hear Cream, Paul McCartney & Wings, the Marshall Tucker Band, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Laura Nyro, Patti Smith, The Wallflowers, John Prine, John Lennon, Tom Rush, Joni Mitchell, Nanci Griffith, The Band, Bruce Springsteen, The Shelters, Hot Tuna, Townes Van Zandt, Randy Newman, Three Dog Night, Mudcrutch, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The James Gang, Taj Mahal, Aerosmith, Alison Krauss, Electric Light Orchestra, Stephen Stills, Alison Krauss, Fats Domino, Widespread Panic, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, The Youngbloods, Patsy Cline and more! That’s five straight hours of uninterrupted music.

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Meet The Beatles by The Beatles

The next-to-last airing of the musical shot heard ’round the world is upon us. Get it while you can, folks. When you wake up on Sunday, disgusted with another foot of snow (at least in these here parts), there’s going to be a new selection on the turntable.

Great day to tune us in. We’ve got a great collection of extended playlists with themes, and ‘In Your Dreams’ is our newest. Be here today for its debut! It won’t cost you a cent. No joining fees. No subscriptions. No money must change hands. And no personal information is required (because we do not accept advertising to keep us afloat). We’re here in The Mermaid Lounge sharing our personal collection of more than 27,000 songs!

Dream Away!