We’re Over The Hump and We’ve Got Our ‘Original Sixties Rotation’, Sir Paul Live in New York, and Ringo In the Spotlight on Thursday, June 20, 2024

We’re over the hump and headed toward the weekend with a great lineup today, including a visit from the two surviving Beatles!

Here’s your musical lineup for Thursday:

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

These were the days, my friends, we’d thought they’d never end. They did, of course, but the music lives on through The Beatles, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Simon & Garfunkel, Little Eva, The Everly Brothers, The Searchers, Dusty Springfield, The Drifters, The Dave Clark Five, Johnny Rivers, Bob Dylan, The Animals, Petula Clark, The Rolling Stones, Procol Harum, The Turtles, Del Shannon, The Temptations, James Brown, Fontella Bass, The Box Tops, Blues Image, Booker T. & The MGs, The Four Tops, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Left Banke, Fats Domino and more!

4:00 p.m. Paul McCartney Live at Citi Field, Queens, NY, July 17-21, 2009

We’ve got Sir Paul live this afternoon from Citi Field in Queens on The Summer Live 09 Tour, his fourth North American concert tour of the 21st Century. There was special significance to his performance at Citi Field, opening a brand new venue in 2009. The Beatles opened a brand new venue at the same spot in 1965. Back then, it was known as Shea Stadium.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Ringo Starr

The energizer bunny of music visits tonight with music from The Beatles and as a solo artist with his fantastic All Starr Bands. Ringo is undoubtedly one of music’s most accomplished percussionists and drummers, and he has made more than forty albums since the Beatles broke up.

It’s a Beatle kind of day here in The Lounge. The Beatles were the genesis for so much of the sixties music it’s unbelievable. We’ve got the full catalogue here, along with 27,000 other songs free of charge every day 24/7.

At Midweek It’s ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’, Buddy Holly, and McCartney Live, Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! At midweek we continue our celebration of Sir Paul’s birthday. We’ve also got music from Laurel Canyon and a Buddy Holly Spotlight feature.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

An amazing breeding ground for some of the best music of the sixties and seventies with 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, Jimi Hendrix, Judy Collins and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Buddy Holly

One of the pioneers and a founding father of of rock n’ roll visits us this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Paul McCartney Live at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, UK, December 14, 1999

McCartney visited his Beatles roots when he played the famous Cavern Club back in 1999. It was yet another great performance by a guy who never fails to deliver a great performance.

We’re at midweek. It’s all downhill from here as we head to the weekend. Come and get it. The button’s below.

Happy Birthday to Macca, John Prine Live in New York, and the ‘Color My World’ EP are On Tap for Monday, June 17, 2024

Good morning, McCartney lovers! We will be celebrating Sir Paul’s birthday all this week starting today, then it’s John Prine live at The Other End and our ‘Color My World’ EP gets an evening airing later.

Here’s your Monday musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Paul McCartney

It’s Happy 82nd birthday to Paul McCartney (tomorrow) and we are celebrating throughout the week in a variety of ways, beginning with our Spotlight featuring songs from his days with The Beatles, with Wings and as a solo artist.

The late and great John Prine is certainly most remembered for his magnificent Angel For Montgomery, a composition that became Bonnie Raitt’s signature song. However, John Prine had a way with the twist of a phrase that few others did, often writing about the human condition with a bit of dry sarcasm. Tonight we have him live from what was once and then again, The Bitter End in New York. During this particular time, it was renamed The Other End.

7:00 p.m. Color My World: Various Artists

We close this day out with our five-hour collection of songs about colors in the title, lyrics or both. You’ll hear The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Donovan, Booker T. and The MGs, Electric Light Orchestra, Procol Harum, Joni Mitchell The Who, Amy Winehouse, Sam & Dave, Badfinger, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, The Hollies, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Cream, Marvin Gaye, Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt and more!

Spend Sunday With Laura Nyro, Our ‘What’s In A Name’ EP and Van Morrison & Some Special Guests, June 16, 2024

Our Sunday schedule opens with Laura Nyro and closes with Van Morrison. In between, it’s songs that feature names in the title, lyrics or both. Some of the people are real; some not.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Laura Nyro

Truly one of the greatest singer-songwriters of her generation who left this earth far too soon. Her compositions have put many an artist on the charts, but there’s nothing like hearing Laura Nyro singer her own songs.

2:00 p.m. What’s In A Name: Various Artists

It’s open stream with a theme from Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Them, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jimi Hendrix, Donovan, Steve Winwood, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Carly Simon, Warren Zevon, Laura Nyro, Bobbie Gentry, The Kinks, Three Dog Night, The Association, Joni Mitchell, Badfinger, Linda Ronstadt, Steely Dan, Chi Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Tony Joe White and more!

9:00 p.m. Van Morrison & Special Guests Live at The Beacon Theater, New York, NY, November 30, 1989

Van The Man live at The Beacon with special guests that include Mose Allison, John Lee Hooker and Georgie Fame. Not to be missed.

We’re crankin’ the tunes here on Father’s Day, so we hope all the dads out there have a great day. We’re on 24/7 at no charge to the general public and with absolutely no commercial interruptions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Memorial Day Is Here and We’ve Got Our ‘Free As A Bird’ Playlist and The Beatles Top 100 Songs, Monday, May 27, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and happy Memorial Day! Yesterday was Doctor Petty’s musical highlight day; today it’s The Beatles, simply the greatest band ever.

Here’s your Memorial Day run:

9:00 a.m. Free As A Bird: Various Artists

Today we celebrate those who fought for freedom with songs about being free in all its forms. This is particularly apropos as we head into November. We’re at that point again in history. You will hear Cream, Steve Winwood, Joni Mitchell, Edgar Winter, Otis Redding, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Who, The Kinks, Chicago, The Byrds, Dave Mason, Van Morrison, Tracy Chapman, Delaney & Bonnie, Chicken Shack, Emmylou Harris, Jimi Hendrix, Pete Seeger, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan and more!

3:00 p.m. The Beatles Top 100 Songs

Again, not by voting listeners or scientific calculation. It’s based on sheer love of the music. We’ve got 100 Beatle songs for you today simply for the sheer listening pleasure. There’s no competition among songs; they are not in order. They simply are.

We’ve got great programming today sprinkled among our excellent playlist of 27,000 ever-rotating songs. We’re on 24/7. We’re totally free. And we do not run commercial advertising. We’re all about the music.

Friday’s Here! We’ve Got Songs About Luck, a New Judy Collins Spotlight, and ‘Live’ Little Feat, May 24, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We’re at the end of the work week and we’ve got a great lineup today that delivers plenty of big, wide Open Stream wrapped around some excellent programming.

Here’s Friday’s musical lineup:

This has been a long time coming for the woman whose career has spanned seven decades and whose style has encompassed folk, country, pop, rock n’ roll, show tunes, and standards. Her musical resume consists of 36 studio albums, nine live albums, numerous compilation albums, four holiday albums and 21 singles. Judy Collins belongs In The Spotlight.

4:00 p.m. Good Luck, Bad Luck, Dumb Luck: Various Artists

You know the sayings, ” I wouldn’t have any luck if I didn’t have bad luck.” Or “It was pure, dumb luck.” We’ve got songs about them all today with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Cream, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Winwood, The Beatles, Albert King, Jethro Tull, Fats Domino, Taj Mahal, The Wallflowers, The Rolling Stones, Joe Walsh, Sheryl Crow, Paul McCartney, Linda Ronstadt and more!

8:00 p.m. Little Feat Live at The Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA, October 31, 1975

I’ve seen The Feat twice. Once at Harvard Square Theater with Jerry Jeff Walker as the opening act, and this show. They are a wonder to behold; one of my favorite bands on the planet and, yes, I do prefer the Lowell George Feat, thank you. That’s what we’ve got here.

Friday Brings Us Three Legends in Leon Russell (Spotlight), and ‘Live’ Gigs by Bob Dylan and Linda Ronstadt, On May 17, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We are offering up three giants of music today for your listening pleasure as we barrel toward the weekend!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

Leon Russell is a musical legend whose career spanned 60 years. During that time he was a sought-after session musician, part of several bands and boasted a successful solo career. During that time he made some incredible music that spanned genres including rock & roll, country, R&B, blues rock and the Tulsa sound. Today he’s in our Spotlight.

3:00 p.m. Bob Dylan Live at Royal Albert Hall, London, UK, May 17, 1966

We jump into the Wayback Machine for this Dylan concert that, ironically, took place 58 years ago today.

8:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt Live at Calderone Concert Hall, Hempstead, NY, January 29, 1975

Before she conquered the music world and started selling out arena venues, Linda Ronstadt played in small but popular music theaters like the now-defunct Calderone Concert Hall. This show took place just after the release of her breakout album, Heart Like A Wheel, released on November 19, 1974.