Category: In The Spotlight

We’ve Got ‘M is For Motown’, A Temptations Spotlight Feature, and The Soul Sisters on Thursday, June 13, 2024

Good morning, soul and R&B lovers! We’ve lined up three great playlists for you today that includes our multi-artist ‘M is For Motown’ EP.

Here’s your programming lineup:

9:00 a.m. M is For Motown: Various Artists

We start the day off with the Motown Sound from Barrett Strong, Eddie Kendricks, Eddie Holland, Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson Five, Kim Weston, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, The Temptations, The Contours, Rare Earth, Mary Wells, Tammi Terrell and more!

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

The band that was instrumental in putting Motown on the map also invented the psychedelic soul genre.

8:00 p.m. The Soul Sisters, Volume One: Various Artists

This evening we hear from the ladies, including Aretha Franklin, Irma Thomas, Etta James, Carla Thomas, The Ronettes, The Velvelettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Barbara Lewis, Martha &The Vandellas, Fontella Bass, Ann Peebles, The Shirelles, Kim Weston and more!

Before, in between and after we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream of 27,000 songs continually circulating for your listening pleasure…all at no charge and with no commercial advertising.

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Wednesday Brings ‘Are You Ready for The Country’, a Gram Parsons Spotlight Feature and Live Kris Kristofferson, June 12, 2024

Good morning, musicologists. We start out with our multi-artist country EP which delivers both traditional country as well as country-rock, then it’s a Gram Parsons Spotlight and Kris Kristofferson on Austin City Limits.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

We’ve got five hours of country (real country; not bad pop bands with fiddles) and country-rock music to kick off the day with The Eagles, Asleep at The Wheel, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Poco, Linda Ronstadt, Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Jerry Jeff Walker, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Carlene Carter, Rosanne Cash, The Desert Rose Band, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, John Prine, Tom Rush, Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Gram Parsons

One of the best and a pioneer of country rock whose life ended far too soon. Gram Parsons was a member of The Byrds, The International Submarine Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, a solo artist and a mentor to Emmylou Harris. This afternoon he’s In the Spotlight.

8:00 p.m. Kris Kristofferson Live at The Moody Theater, Austin, TX, September 14, 1981 NEW!

Singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson definitely in his prime recorded live at the Moody Theater for Austin City Limits.

We keep it on the country side today, but before, in between and after, we’ve got all that great big, wide Open Stream with all kinds of music flowing. Use the button below.

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Monday We Open With Leon Russell and Close With Our ‘Money Honey’ Playlist; The Wilburys Are In Between, June 10, 2024

Yes, work is back in the picture but Monday isn’t all that bad. We open with live Leon Russell and close with songs about money. In between, it’s a Traveling Wilburys Spotlight.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Leon Russell Live at Gilley’s Club, Pasadena, TX, September 17, 1981 NEW!

Nothing like a little taste of live Leon Russell to get you going in the morning.

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Traveling Wilburys

Five friends who loved to hang out and play music together. No pressures of the road. The Traveling Wilburys never really traveled. But I’ll tell you what: They are the greatest supergroup in music history. See for yourself.

7:00 p.m. Money, Honey: Various Artists

We close it out today with a multi-artist playlist of songs about money. You’ll hear Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Guess Who, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Tom Waits, J. J. Cale, Slim Harpo, Chuck Berry, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, Willie Nelson, Barrett Strong and more!

We’re here all day and night every day and night. And we’re completely free with no commercial advertising. See for yourself.

Leon Live!

Sunday’s Fare Consists of The Who, ‘The British Are Coming’ EP and a Jeff Lynne Spotlight Feature, June 9, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! Today we keep it decidedly British with our first live Who performance, our ‘British Are Coming’ EP and a Spotlight featuring the great Jeff Lynne.

Here’s your musical journey for today:

10:00 a.m. The Who Live at Shea Stadium, New York, NY, October 13, 1982 NEW!

This is our very first ‘live’ Who performance and it won’t be our last as we broaden our horizons. This was an amazing show, played in the rain, on their Who Rocks America Tour in support of their album It’s Hard. It was also billed as their final tour.

1:00 p.m. The British Are Coming: Various Artists

Music from The British Invasion and beyond with The Who, The Beatles, Dave Mason, Electric Light Orchestra, Petula Clark, The Zombies, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, The Bee Gees, The Moody Blues, Rod Steward, George Harrison, Them, Herman’s Hermits, The Rolling Stones, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Badfinger, The Yardbirds, Traffic, Elton John, Lulu, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Animals and more!

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jeff Lynne

He’s not just the genius behind Electric Light Orchestra (as if that wasn’t enough), he began his career with The Move. He was also the esteemed Otis Wilbury, co-founder of The Traveling Wilburys along with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison and Roy Orbison. Let’s not forget that he’s a solo artist and a producer for many artists, including Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. That’s what I call a great resume.

I can’t say it enough, so I’ll keep it simple. We’re on 24/7. We’re free. See for yourself. The button’s below.

The Who!

Celebrate Friday With Live Bob Marley and Linda Ronstadt, and a Valerie Carter Spotlight Feature, June 7, 2024

Welcome to Friday here in The Mermaid Lounge. Today we’ve got two great live performances, one by Bob Marley and the other by Linda Ronstadt, plus a Spotlight feature with the late, great Valerie Carter.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, September 23, 1980

In spite of his ill health, The Legend was game. This would be Bob Marley’s final live performance before his death from melanoma.

4:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan, March 3, 1979

By 1979, Linda’s career was in full bloom, and she was touring largely in support of her Living In The U.S.A. album. I flew out to the L.A. Forum to see her December 24, 1978 show. Her Japan shows on this tour were March 1, 2 and 3 of 1979.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Valerie Carter UPDATED!

Closing out today’s programming we have the late, very great singer-songwriter Valerie Carter, who was also a friend of Linda. I saw them together at The Orpheum in Boston when Valerie opened for her and then joined her on stage for several songs. Valerie Carter left us too soon, but her music is forever.

We’re here. We’re totally free with no commercial advertising. And we’re not fooling around. We’re all about the music. Hit the button below.

Welcome To Friday!

Thursday Brings ‘Travelin’ Fever,’ Live Lucinda Williams, and a Staple Singers Spotlight Feature, June 5, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’re on the downslide to the weekend and we’ve got some great stuff today, including a brand new Staple Singers Spotlight feature.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

Life on the road is always a great musical subject, and that’s what we open with this morning. You’ll hear music from Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Box Tops, Arlo Guthrie, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, The Doors, Tom Rush, The Byrds, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, The Traveling Wilburys, Del Shannon, Janis Joplin, Ray Charles, The Doobie Brothers, The Guess Who, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Carole King, Cream and more!

4:00 p.m. Lucinda Williams Live at The Moody Theater, Austin, TX, December 5, 1998

The great singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams recorded live for Austin City Limits.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Staple Singers NEW!

The Staple Singers are an American classic, a gospel, soul and R&B group started by Roebuck “Pops” Staples and his children that signed their first professional contract in 1952. They are best known for a string of hits in the seventies that included Respect Yourself, I’ll Take You There, If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me) and Let’s Do It Again. The Staple Singers have also been a steady voice in the civil rights movement. The Staple Singers have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999) and The Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2018). They were also honored with a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Drew, Mississippi and were given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

It’s always a good time to give us a listen. We’re totally free (no “free trial” bullshit), we don’t ask for a credit card, and we don’t ask for your personal information. We’re all about the music. No lie. Hit the button below and see for yourself.

Go ahead. Hit the button.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday With ‘Ladies Sing The Blues,’ a Stevie Ray Vaughan Spotlight and Some ‘Live’ James Cotton, June 4, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday. We’ve got some great stuff on tap for today, starting with our ‘Ladies Sing The Blues’ EP!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We open it all up with the women of the blues, those who pioneered the blues and those who simply pay homage. We love them all. You’ll hear Billie Holliday, 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 Strelhi, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career spanned just seven years before his untimely death, but in that time he established himself both as one of the most influential artists in the history of the blues and one of the greatest guitarists on the planet.

7:00 p.m. James Cotton Live at Antone’s Night Club, Austin, TX, July 1987

This is one of those performances where an exact date is not found, but we do know it was July of 1987. A little live James Cotton is always a treat.

We’ve got another great Tuesday Bluesday on tap here in The Mermaid Lounge and The Music Mermaid will be overseeing the festivities today. We hope you’ll join us! All it takes is hitting the button below.

Tuesday Bluesday!

Monday Brings Our ‘Summertime’ Playlist, Sly & The Family Stone and Some ‘Live’ Heartbreakers, June 3, 2024

Good morning, musicologists. It’s another work week, but we’ve got you covered with some great programming today, including a new Sly & The Family Stone Spotlight feature!

Sly & the Family Stone

Here’s your Monday musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. Summertime: Various Artists

We are right on the doorstep of summer here, folks, so it’s only fitting that we hear songs about summer with Paul McCartney, Electric Light Orchestra, Jimmy Cliff, Joan Baez, The Wallflowers, Van Morrison, k. d. lang, John Prine, Johnny Rivers, The Stone Poneys, Wendy Waldman, Don Henley, The Cranberries, The Doors, Joni Mitchell and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Sly & The Family Stone NEW!

Established in San Francisco in 1966, Sly & The Family Stone played a great part in the development of funk, soul, R&B, rock and the psychedelic sound. Today we finally have them In The Spotlight.

8:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live and Loving It!

We’re breaking this one out of moth balls. It’s our take on the best live performances over the years by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Admittedly, it’s due for updating and we will get to that, but it’s still pretty frackin’ good as it is.

The Mermaid Lounge is a great place to spend your Monday. We’re here 24/7 and we’re totally free of charge…and free of commercial advertising as well.

Monday, Monday!

It’s Sunday In The Lounge With Chicago ‘Live’ in Japan, a Hollies Spotlight, and ‘The Founders’ EP Later, June 2, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge where the living is easy and the music is totally free 24/7.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Chicago Live at The Osaka Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan, June 10, 11 & 14, 1972 NEW!

Chicago is like a few other bands during my lifetime that have had two lives, like The Doobie Brothers and The Bee Gees. In all cases, we prefer the previous lives. We’re fans of the Terry Kath version of Chicago with its original edginess and creativity, not the Peter Cetera born-again, milquetoast collection of syrupy ballads. Today we have the original band, what I like to call Chicago Transit Authority, live in Japan.

2:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Hollies

Here is another great British Invasion band, and the band that would become one of the most musically influential of its time and spawn other great bands, like Crosby, Stills & Nash. It’s time we turn the Spotlight back on this band.

5:00 p.m. The Founders: Various Artists

This evening we go back to where this rock and roll thing all began with Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & His Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters and more!

We’re here in The Lounge where the music is already running endlessly with over 27,000 individual music files for your listening pleasure. Just hit the button below.

Sunday In The Lounge!

We End The Month With ‘Ladies Day Out,’ Janis Live at Winterland and a Brandi Carlile Spotlight, on Friday, May 31, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to Friday, where we celebrate the women of music with our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP for starters. Then, it’s Janis live at Winterland Ballroom and a new Brandi Carlile Spotlight feature.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We start out strong with five hours of uninterrupted women power from across all genres. You’ll hear Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, 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, Susan Tedeschi, Valerie Carter, Dusty Springfield, Dolly Parton and more!

4:00 p.m. Janis Joplin Live at Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, April 12, 1968

We’ve got Janis Joplin captured live during a two-night residency at the famed Winterland Ballroom this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Brandi Carlile NEW!

I’ve been listening to and loving Brandi Carlile’s music for a while now and this has been a long time coming. Watching her perform the late, great John Prine’s Angel From Montgomery with one of my musical idols, Bonnie Raitt, during Mothership just this month certainly gave me the impetus to get this done. Her music has also been added to our standard rotation.

We’re here and it’s all about the women of music today. I don’t think there’s another music station on the planet that focuses on women like we do. That was one of our original intentions when we started this thing. Best of all, we’re on 24/7, we’re free, and there’s no commercial advertising. We’re not even tempted.

The Women of Music!