The “Court & Spark” Finale, A Trip to Laurel Canyon, and ‘Live’ Heartbreakers on Saturday, March 16, 2024

Good morning, weekenders! We have made it to Saturday once again, and we’ve got some great stuff on tap, including The Heartbreakers 30th Anniversary Tour from Gainsville.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Court & Spark by Joni Mitchell FINAL AIRING!

Today we give you the final airing of this unbelievably amazing album, one of the best albums of all time, as we continue on the 50th anniversary roundup.

12:00 p.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

We’ve got an update on tap for this great playlist that covers two generations of musicians who lived and made music together in Laurel Canyon. It was the cross-fertilization of styles that helped usher in country-rock. You’ll hear The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, 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!

8:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live From the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL, September 21, 2006

The photo on this post is from an earlier timeframe, but the energy The Heartbreakers brought to their live performances never changed over their amazing 40-year run. This would be the band’s 30th Anniversary Tour from their hometown, and it was a beauty.

Wake up and tune us in. We’re on 24/7; not just when we have programming. We’re continually circulating 27,000 songs daily. You never know what’s coming next, and that’s what we really like about radio. Those were the days. We didn’t have custom playlists, Spotify, or whatever else pay-for-play hell is out there. We had our transistor radios and endless summer days waiting for the next song to cue up.

Thursday Brings ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’, ELO’s AOW, and The Beatles’ Love Songs, February 15, 2024

Good morning, citizens! Today we’ve got the pioneers from Laurel Canyon, Eldorado by Electric Light Orchestra, and the love songs of The Beatles.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Laurel Canyon was the proving ground for bands for two decades of music. They lived and worked in harmony cross-fertilizing each other and establishing the country-rock genre. 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, 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! This one is due for an update soon!

4:00 p.m.  Album of The Week: Eldorado by Electric Light Orchestra

We are winding down on this album’s 50th birthday celebration. The final airing will be sometime Saturday.

8:00 p.m.  The Beatles: The Love Songs

We could not completely walk away from Valentines Day without this playlist. The Beatles were masters of the love song, and we’ve got them for you this evening.

Well, gang, we’re over the hump and on the downslide to another weekend. We’ll help you get there in musical style with some old music and some new additions! Tune us in. Just use the button below.

We’re in the Wayback Machine Heading for the Sixties, and We’ve Got Jackson Browne’s AOW, Thursday, January 25, 2024

Good morning, time travelers. We’re headed back to the early sixties today with ‘The Original Sixties Rotation’ EP, and we’ve also got some rare ‘live’ Hendrix.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Personally speaking, the sixties and early seventies were the best of times in music. It is why I started the station to begin with. This EP features Del Shannon, Little Eva, The Drifters, The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, Mary Wells, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, Glen Campbell, Johnny Rivers, The Dave Clark Five, The Supremes, Harry Nilsson, The Band, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Simon & Garfunkel, Blind Faith, Janis Joplin, Chuck Berry, The Temptations, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Who, Bob Dylan, Tony Joe White, Barry McGuire, Fats Domino and more!

4:00 p.m.  Album of The Week: Late For The Sky by Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne’s Late For The Sky, his third studio album, is the first album in our ‘Happy 50th Birthday’ series of albums to open up the new year.

Yes, there’s no venue in the title because this show was held on a farm on the lower slope of the Haleakala volcano on a makeshift stage. The only audience were a few hundred Maui residents who heard the show was happening and showed up. These folks got to see a rare, little-known Hendrix performance. There’s a long story behind how this show came about and why it was so “secret” to begin with. It’s explained here much better than I could ever manage.

It’s Simply Sunday With Kris Kristofferson’s New AOW and the ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ EP, January 14, 2024

Good morning and welcome to yet another simple Sunday here in The Mermaid Lounge as we give you a great new Album of The Week and spin the music from the fabled Laurel Canyon, the birthplace of country-rock.

Here’s your musical lineup:

This was Kristofferson’s fourth studio album released in 1972. Every response to the album was mixed, but his out-of-character religious song Why Me became a number one hit. How the song came about is explained here. Nevertheless, I loved the album and, in spite of the fact that the title song was released then faded, I think it’s one of his best.

3:00 p.m.  Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

We’re back visiting the inhabitants of Laurel Canyon, the birthplace of country-rock, a fertile creative landscape for two generations of musicians (sixties, seventies). 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, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more. Best of all, this one’s due for an update soon!

Friday Brings Our Big Folk Music EP, Henley & Frey’s Swan Song, and ‘Live’ Emmylou Harris, December 22, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! Are we in the Christmas spirit yet? We’ll make your day better with our big folk music EP, the final airing of Don Henley & Glen Frey and Emmylou Harris bring up the rear.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Yes, citizens, the music that helped spread social justice and consciousness. You’ll hear Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Jackson Browne, Guy Clark, James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, Neil Young and many more!

4:00 p.m.  Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Don Henley & Glen Frey FINAL AIRING!

We bid a fond farewell to Don Henley and Glen Frey today, the musical songwriting genius behind The Eagles.

8:00 p.m.  Emmylou Harris & The Desert Rose Band Live at Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, CA, August 8, 1986

Emmylou Harris has traveled the world both assembling great bands and joining others. This time she’s on stage with Byrds founding member Chris Hillman and his Desert Rose Band.

We’re getting closer to both the weekend and the Christmas holiday! What better way to take the edge off than with great music. Hell, here we are. Give yourself a Christmas gift. It won’t cost you a penny.

The Boogaloo Swamis, Our ‘Ode to Morning EP’ and Henley/Frey Are Our Singer-Songwriters, Saturday, December 16, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! We are here in The Lounge preparing for a great day of music courtesy of The Music Mermaid, including the debut of Don Henley and Glen Frey as our featured singer-songwriters.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m.  Album of The Week: Down At The Roadhouse by The Boogaloo Swamis FINAL AIRING!

Today is the final airing of this fine Cajun-Zydeco album by a little band out of Boston that certainly added to my musical appreciation of the genre.

12:00 p.m. Ode to Morning: Various Artists

We pay homage to the sunrise and the start to the day with Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Chapin, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Pure Prairie League, Badfinger, Chris Hillman and more!

This week’s singer-songwriters were part of the Laurel Canyon crew that helped fuse country and rock into a genre that spread like wildfire and was heard around the world. 

At Midweek It’s the ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ EP, Jesse Winchester and Tim Hardin, Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! Today we give you five uninterrupted hours of music from Laurel Canyon, Jesse Winchester is our singer-songwriter, and we spotlight folk legend Tim Hardin later.

Here’s your midweek music:

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

Back in the day, the British musicians were taken by our Laurel Canyon artists, and vice versa. It’s called cross-fertilization. And Laurel Canyon was the home for two generations of American musicians like The Mamas & The Papas, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, John Mayall, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Nilsson, The Eagles, Canned Heat, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Jimi Hendrix and more!

4:00 p.m.  Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Jesse Winchester

Jesse Winchester returns for his second turn as our featured singer-songwriter.

Tim Hardin’s heroin addiction kept him from superstar status, but his songs found their way into the hands of many musicians during the sixties and seventies. Sadly, Hardin died in 1980 of a heron overdose at the young age of 39. Tonight, we put Tim Hardin in the spotlight where he belongs.

It’s a Simple Sunday With Dolly and Our AOW and the ‘Are You Ready for The Country’ EP Later, November 19, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We’ve got a real treat for you today with our Album of The Week as Dolly Parton’s Rockstar makes its debut on our station. Read on for details!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

When Dolly Parton learned she was being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she turned it down because she felt she was not a rock star. She’d never made an album of rock music. The people at the Hall disagreed with her and wanted to induct her anyway. She returned the favor by releasing Rockstar, a 30-song album of classic rock and rock n’ roll songs given the Dolly treatment. And it’s a treat. Dolly had a lot of supporters on this one, including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on her version of The Beatles’ Let It Be, Ann Wilson on her version of Magic Man, and Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow on You’re No Good.

3:00 p.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

While Dolly goes rock, you’ll also find her in our big, bad country EP. Along with Dolly, you’ll hear Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, 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, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Dan Fogelberg, New Riders of The Purple Sage, John Prine, The Desert Rose Band, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and more!

It’s Friday and We’ve Got Dr. John, Our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP and James Taylor and Joni Mitchell ‘Live’ Together, November 17, 2023

Good morning, working people! We are one day away from hitting paydirt. The weekend is on the horizon. Today, we give the ladies the floor for the better part of the afternoon.

Here’s Friday’s lineup:

9:00 a.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Dr. John FINAL AIRING!

Dr. John drops in this morning for his final spin as our featured singer-songwriter. Tomorrow, we’ll introduce a new artist here as we move toward the end of the year. We still have two very big kahunas we are holding until the end.

12:00 p.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

At noon, the women of music take over The Mermaid Lounge for five hours of sheer bliss. You’ll hear all genres 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, Sheryl Crowe, Susan Tedeschi, Valerie Carter, Dusty Springfield, Dolly Parton and more!

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

Back when they were a “thing,” they went on tour together and, boy, they were great. Tonight we have them live from Royal Albert Hall in London.

It’s Friday and we’re closer to the weekend now. We can smell it in the air. By the way, when people ask you what the Labor Movement did for you, tell them you can thank them for the weekend. Sorry. Had to get that one in there. By the way, we’re anti-capitalists here. We’re on 24/7 free of charge. It’s a labor of love.

It’s The ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ EP, The Final Airing of Our AOW, and Dr. John is Our New Singer-Songwriter, November 11, 2023

Good morning, weekenders, and welcome! We’ve got a great Saturday lineup for you today here in The Mermaid Lounge, starting with the sounds of Laurel Canyon!

Here’s today’s music:

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

The sounds of the British Invasion rocked the U.S., and across the pond, the sounds of Laurel Canyon were making themselves known. It’s called cross-pollination. 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, 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!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: The Bee Gees 1st by The Bee Gees FINAL AIRING!

It’s the final airing our album selection by The Bee Gees. Tomorrow we’ll have something new for you right here!

Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., also known as Dr. John or The Nitetripper, was a musical treasure whose style combined New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. He was active in the business, both as a respected session man and as a solo artist, from the 1950’s right up until his death in 2019. He was originally inspired after seeing another New Orleans fixture, Professor Longhair, live in concert. Tonight, we introduce the late, great Dr. John as our featured singer-songwriter.