Sunday Brings The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Who ‘In the Spotlight’ and Music From Laurel Canyon, December 22, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! It’s a balmy 8 degrees here in the Boston area, where we seem to have wildly fluctuating temperatures. But it’s cozy here in The Mermaid Lounge!

Here’s your Sunday lineup:

A new live performance by The Flying Burrito Brothers starts us off today. Although best known for their connection to their legendary founder, Gram Parsons, and Chris Hillman formerly of The Byrds, the lineup underwent a never-ending cycle of changes. The Burritos’ lineup for this show was Skip Battin and Gene Parsons alongside Gib Guilbeau, Joel Scott Hill, and pedal steel legend “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow. Ever changing but always great.

1:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Who

Formed in London in 1964, The Who became one of the most influential bands of the 20th Century, making many contributions to rock music and pioneering the rock opera with Tommy.

4:00 p.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

We move into the evening hours with one of our most popular EPs featuring the artists that helped to launch the country-rock genre, including The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more!

We’re on it today and every day. We’re a 24/7 operation 365 days a year, and we’re totally free of charge and free of commercial advertising. The button’s below.

On Monday It’s Ry Cooder & David Lindley, ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ and Tracy Chapman, November 18, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and we get the work week off to a great start today with a new Tracy Chapman ‘Spotlight’ feature, among other things.

Here’s your Monday, Monday musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ry Cooder & David Lindley Live at The Vienna Opera House, Vienna, Austria, July 6, 1995

We have a couple of masters here performing together and it’s truly a pleasure. Ry Cooder is one of the finest singer-songwriters on the planet and a man Linda Ronstadt considers the best guitarist she’s ever worked with. David Lindley has been one of the most sought-after session musicians.

1:00 p.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

Laurel Canyon was a breeding ground for creativity for two decades of musicians, including The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, 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!

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Tracy Chapman NEW!

I will eventually get to everything on my ‘To Do’ list and I’ve knocked off an important one here. Tracy Chapman finally gets her due here in The Mermaid Lounge and it has been a long time coming.

We’re here 24/7, 365 days a year, with no commercial interruption. Before, in between and after our programs, we don’t go off air. Instead, we give your our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs. The button is below.

On Thursday It’s ‘The Female Species’ EP, a Kris Kristofferson Tribute and Another Trip to Love Street, on October 3, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and we are now officially on the downslide to the weekend. We’ve got a tribute to the late, great Kris Kristofferson sandwiched in between a couple of great multi-artist playlists!

Here’s your musical mojo:

9:00 a.m. The Female Species: Various Artists

This one is songs about women, not necessarily by women (although some most definitely are). You’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, Jackson Browne, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Electric Light Orchestra, Fleetwood Mac, Percy Sledge, The Beatles, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, America, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys, Linda Ronstadt, The Temptations and more!

This afternoon we honor Kris Kristofferson’s musical legacy with a concert at Philharmonic Hall. He even brings along a few friends, like Willie Nelson, Rita Coolidge and Larry Gatlin.

We’ve got Volume Two this evening, with Dave Mason, Grin, Gene Clark, Jimmy Webb, Rick Nelson, David Crosby, Tim Buckley, Frank Zappa, Steppenwolf, Glen Campbell, Hoyt Axton, The Turtles, Stephen Stills, Poco and more!

We’re on the case 24/7 with no commercial interruptions and no overly-chatty DJ’s who like to cut off the openings and closings of songs. We promise. And we also promise that there’s no charge for your time in The Mermaid Lounge. The button is below.

At Midweek We Give You Our House EP, a J.J. Cale Spotlight Feature and The First Volume of Our New Love Street Playlist, Wednesday October 2, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to The Mermaid Lounge. We’ve got some great music today, including volume one of our new ‘I See You Live on Love Street’ playlist.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The #BecomeUngovernable House Playlist: Various Artists

Yes, we start it all off with five hours of the music that inspired us to start this little experiment to begin with from The Beatles, Barry McGuire, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Peter Tosh, Country Joe & The Fish, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, CSNY, Joan Baez, Pink Floyd, The Animals, Plastic Ono Band, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Pete Seeger, The Band, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of J. J. Cale

The man who invented the Oklahoma sound gave us a body of work that many have recorded over and over, yet fame eluded him. I’m not sure J.J. Cale ever needed fame, though. He was content with having the respect of his peers.

This is a new playlist for us and, while it does include many of the artists of our big EP, these are different songs from those artists and it also includes a bunch of artists that I bet you never knew passed through the Laurel Canyon music scene. Artists include The Monkees, The Association, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Stone Poneys, The Doors, Scott McKenzie, The Byrds, Captain Beefheart and more! Volumes Two and Three will happen over Thursday and Friday.

We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free all day every day. We’re not interested in tracking anyone because we’re not selling anything. And we don’t need no stinking credit cards. The button is below.

Today We’ve Got Live Jefferson Airplane, the ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ EP, and J.D. Souther, Friday, September 20, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’re on the cusp of the weekend here and we’ve got some great music lined up, including our tribute to the brilliant John David Souther.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

We’ve got one of the most iconic sixties bands to open things up, this time from The Fillmore East.

1:00 p.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

Laurel Canyon was a great two decade music cross-fertilization project and it produced music that was the first to challenge the British Invasion music dominating the American charts. In fact, they heard it in Britain and it immediately took hold. You’ll hear The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more!

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of John David (J.D.) Souther

Speaking of the Laurel Canyon generation and those who pioneered country-rock, we sadly lost J.D. Souther on September 17, just about a week before he was scheduled to hit the road with Karla Bonoff. Souther was a songwriting legend, whose songs were tickets to fame for The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt, among others. Today, we put him In the Spotlight where he belongs.

We’re here 24/7 with no commercial interruption, and we’ve got some of the most eclectic programming on the planet. The button is below.

Sunday Brings Tom Rush, ‘Music From Laurel Canyon,’ and JT and Joni Live at Royal Albert Hall, July 21, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! The weekend flies, doesn’t it? But hey, we’ve still got the day and we’ve got some great music from The Mermaid today.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Tom Rush

Today we begin with the man credited with starting the whole singer-songwriter thing. I saw this guy when he was young, and I saw him as he celebrated his 79th birthday (one day after mine) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was as excellent as I remembered him.

1:00 p.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

As with all things sixties, it burned brightly and churned out a bunch of great music that was actually heard around the world. We were paying attention to the British Invasion, but most didn’t realize they were listening to us. You’ll hear The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, Joni Mitchell, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and more!

8:00 p.m. James Taylor & Joni Mitchell Live at Royal Albert Hall, London, UK, October 28, 1970

Speaking of Laurel Canyon, yeah, JT and Joni were a thing for a while. And they made beautiful music together. Literally.

It is the official day of rest, even for the Big Kahuna in the sky (if you are into that stuff), so why not take his or her lead and give it a rest. Kick back. And listen to some great tunes.

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.

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

It’s Saturday and We’re in Laurel Canyon, Elvis is In The Spotlight, and Emmylou Harris is Live Later, May 18, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We have hit the weekend and we’ve got a great Saturday lineup for you today.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We’re back in Laurel Canyon today where two generations of music helped create the country-rock sound, among other things. You’ll hear The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Stephen Stills & Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Elvis Presley

The King is in The Mermaid Lounge this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & Spyboy Live at Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland, January 20, 1997

A great performance by a woman who is not shy about shifting gears and making change. This was the band she put together to take her career-redefining album Wrecking Ball on the road. If you haven’t heard the album, you must.

I’m on the road early this morning on a mission of mercy, but The Music Mermaid has this under control. Talk to you all tomorrow!

‘Are You Ready for The Country’, a Guy Clark Spotlight and ‘Live’ Lukas Nelson & POTR on Saturday, May 11, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We keep it on the country side today with our programming, both old school and country-rock, that great sound out of Laurel Canyon.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Another EP out of mothballs this morning as we pay homage to the old standards and the country rockers with The Eagles, Asleep at The Wheel, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Guy Clark, 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, Gram Parsons, John Prine, Tom Rush, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Guy Clark

Surely one of the absolute best country singer-songwriters ever. I know I’ve told this story before, but one dreadfully snowy night my friend George and I were walking around Harvard Square freezing when we decided to go into a place called Passim’s Coffee House to warm up. We had no idea who Guy Clark was, but we paid the cover charge and went inside. It was undoubtedly one of the best things I ever did in my life. I was totally hooked. And he played a mean fiddle to boot.

8:00 p.m. Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real Live at The Boathouse, Newport News, VA, June 14, 2018

We close out the country programming with Lukas Nelson and his great little band. Lukas comes from great country outlaw pedigree, so it’s no wonder we love him here in The Mermaid Lounge.

We’re here 24/7 for your listening pleasure, at absolutely no charge to you and with absolutely no commercial interruption. Ever. Just an occasional station I.D. bit courtesy of yours truly. That’s it. The button’s below.

It’s a Laurel Canyon Day with Our EP, The Lovin’ Spoonful and Stephen Stills & Manassas, Thursday, April 18, 2024

Today is a totally Laurel Canyon kind of day, as we feature the music from the artists who lived and made music there.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We start it off with five hours of music from the bands that lived and made music in Laurel Canyon over two generations, including The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band and more! UPDATE COMING SOON!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Lovin’ Spoonful

We continue our tour of Laurel Canyon with a great sixties-seventies band formed in New York City in 1965 by John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky.

8:00 p.m. Stephen Stills & Manassas Live at The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 22, 1972

This often-forgotten supergroup was formed by Stephen Stills in 1971, mostly as a vehicle for Stills’ music. They released two albums before disbanding for good. Other members included Chris Hillman, founding member of The Byrds, Al Perkins, Dallas Taylor and Joe Lala.

We’re headed to the weekend once again and we’ll be here to help get you there with some great, commercial-free music. Did I mention we’re totally free and ask for neither a credit card nor your personal information.