Category: REGGAE

It’s Bob Marley & The Wailers, ZZ Top and Linda Ronstadt (& Some Stone Poneys) on This Rainy Monday, December 4, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! If you have Monday off like I do and it’s rainy where you are like it is here, this is the perfect day to hunker down with some great music. And we’ve got it here.

Here’s your musical Monday:

10:00 a.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, October 13, 1973

We start out the day with some Reggae vibes from the singer-songwriter who helped put Reggae on the map worldwide and his great band, The Wailers.

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of ZZ Top

We haven’t heard this one in a while. We’ve dusted this great ZZ Top Spotlight off and are ready for it this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. A Linda Ronstadt Retrospective: The Stone Poneys & The Early Solo Years

We take a trip in the Wayback Machine for this one as we feature the Queen of Rock’s early years with and without the Stone Poneys. Ronstadt paved the way for women, controlling her own career from the very start and defying those who told her what she should or should not sing. I think we can all agree it was quite a career.

We’re ready for the music today. I’m in The Lounge all day. No retail hell; no pushy, nasty Christmas customers (thankfully, we don’t get many of those). The festivities start at 11:00 a.m. but the music is 24/7.

Monday, Monday.

It’s Simply Sunday Here and Maria Muldaur Owns Our AOW and ‘Travelin’ Fever’ is the EP, Then It’s Open Stream on December 3, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! We’ve got another simple Sunday on tap here in The Mermaid Lounge with light programming and plenty of wide Open Stream.

Here’s your musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Richland Woman Blues by Maria Muldaur NEW!

Maria Muldaur is undoubtedly one of the most underappreciated singers of her generation, hanging out with her peers Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt, among others. They knew who to tap for background and harmony vocals, and vice versa. On this release, she works with some of the best, including Bonnie Raitt, John Sebastian (founder of The Lovin’ Spoonful), Taj Mahal, and fellow blues singers Angela Strehli and Tracy Nelson.

3:00 p.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

We’re back on the road with some of our musical friends, including Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, the Steve Miller Band, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Doors, The Eagles, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Byrds, Joan Baez, Asleep at The Wheel, The Traveling Wilburys, Mudcrutch, Loggins & Messina, Buffalo Springfield, Tom Rush, The Guess Who, Ray Charles, the Marshall Tucker Band, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and more!

It’s the official day of rest here on planet earth, so take some time off and open your ears to the music. Turn off that football game and those softball political football, like Meet the Press, and sink your teeth into the music.

Travelin’ Fever!

Saturday Brings Sam Cooke, Our ‘Water, Water Everywhere’ EP and Randy Newman Later On, December 2, 2023

We’ve successfully gotten to Saturday and we’ve got the final airing of our AOW, songs about water (which comprises 71% of planet earth), and Randy Newman is our new featured singer-songwriter.

Here’s today’s musical extravaganza:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Ain’t That Good News by Sam Cooke FINAL AIRING!

It’s the final airing of Sam Cooke’s featured album. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand new selection here.

11:00 a.m. Water, Water Everywhere: Various Artists

Once again, we’ve got songs about water…one of the most important components of human existence in all its forms. You’ll hear Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Otis Redding, The Doobie Brothers, Valerie Carter, Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Al Green, Loggins & Messina, Linda Ronstadt, Spirit, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, Lindisfarne, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Steely Dan, Tom Rush, Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Randy Newman NEW!

Truly one of the most prolific writers of his generation, he is like Laura Nyro in the sense that he has provided material for many, many singers. Linda Ronstadt recorded Feels Like Home and Sail Away, Three Dog Night recorded Mama Told me Not To Come, Irma Thomas recorded Baby Don’t Look Down, and there were many others. He has also scored nine Disney-Pixar movies. On top of all that, Randy Newman has had his own successful solo career writing songs about the human condition and with some wry sarcasm at times. He’s a favorite here.

The weekend is here and this is your landing spot for excellent music 24/7 at no charge to the human race. Just push the button below and see for yourself.

Just Push Play. Ok?

We Start a New Month With Dreaming, Fats & Dave and The Doors in The Spotlight on Friday, December 1, 2023

We’ve made it to Friday and we start the final month of the year with a bang! We’ve got our ‘In Your Dreams’ EP to start out, then we’ve got Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew, and The Doors bring up the rear later.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

9:00 a.m. In Your Dreams: Various Artists

We start out the new month in a dream state with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Aerosmith, Crowded House, the Moody Blues, Van Morrison, The Eurythmics, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Nanci Griffith, the Electric Prunes, Fleetwood Mac, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Mamas & The Papas, Jimmy Buffett, the Alan Parsons Project, the Allman Brothers Band, Supertramp, Randy Newman, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Widespread Panic, The Youngbloods, Jimmy Ruffin, Jackson Browne, Mudcrutch, Patsy Cline, Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen, k.d. lang, Dusty Springfield and more.

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew FINAL AIRING!

Today is the final airing of our homage to two pioneers of rock n’ roll. Don’t miss it.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Doors

To close out the programming tonight, we play the music of one of the pioneers of the psychedelic and acid rock sounds. They were only together for four years, but they made an amazing impact on music.

It’s Friday and we’ve made it. It’s going to be a dismal day here, with rain, but we can transcend that with great music. We’ve got it here.

Streaming & Dreaming!

‘The Female Species’ EP, Our AOW and ‘Live’ Kinks On Tap Thursday, November 30, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We head toward the weekend in fine form with an EP we haven’t heard in a bit, some Sam Cooke and The Kinks ‘live’ in the UK.

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

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

It’s been since late summer, and the time is now. Not songs by females, but songs about ladies, women, females, girls from Talking Heads, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Boogaloo Swamis, Jackson Browne, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Electric Light Orchestra, The Beatles, Percy Sledge, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, America, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, Linda Ronstadt and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: “Ain’t That Good News” by Sam Cooke

We’re winding down on this one. Get it while you can!

7:00 p.m. The Kinks Live at The Hippodrome Theatre, London, UK, July 14, 1974

A great performance by one of the best bands on the planet tonight at 7:00 p.m.

I have one more opening shift this week and I’m running late, so I won’t belabor the point but you really have to be here.

Just Push Play

Midweek Delivers Volume Two of ‘The Sixties Rotation’ EP, Fats & Dave and ‘Free As a Bird’ on Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We’re at the midweek point with some great sixties music, our featured singer-songwriters and our ‘Free As a Bird’ playlist to end the day.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

Today we focus on the mid-to-late portion of this great generation of music with The Beatles, The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, Wilson Pickett, The Band, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, The Ronettes, The Kinks, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimmy Cliff, Velvet Underground and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew

Our featured singer-songwriters are back for their second spin, two of the pioneers of rock and roll.

8:00 p.m. Free As A Bird: Various Artists

We close it out with a much shorter multi-artist playlist featuring Chicago, CSNY, The Byrds, Otis Redding, Steve Winwood, Cream, Jesse Winchester, Dave Mason, Van Morrison, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan, Allen Toussaint, Elton John, Tracy Chapman, Emmylou Harris, Chicken Shack, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Pete Seeger, The Beatles and more!

We certainly have some great music on tap for you today. I’m on my third day of early morning shifts, so The Music Mermaid is on duty today and she’ll be on morning duty for one more day tomorrow. We’re taxing her fins this week for sure.

The Sixties Are Back!

It’s Tuesday Bluesday With Our Big, Bad Blues EP and The Blues Project; Sam Cooke in Between, November 28, 2023

Good morning, bluesologists and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday. We’ve got our biggest blues EP up this morning and ‘live’ music from The Blues Project later.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blues: Various Artists

Our biggest, baddest, broadest blues EP with Delbert McClinton, Koko Taylor, Robert Johnson, B. B. King, Little Walter, Slim Harpo, Ry Cooder, Canned Heat, John Lee Hooker, The Animals, Albert King, Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, The Yardbirds, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Elmore James, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Robert Cray Band, J.J. Cale, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Marcia Ball, Susan Tedeschi, Roomful of Blues, Howlin’ Wolf, Tracy Nelson and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Ain’t That Good News by Sam Cooke

We’ve got the second airing Sam Cooke’s Album of The Week this afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m. The Blues Project Live at The Matrix Club, San Francisco, CA, September 7-15, 1966

Some great live music from The Blues Project recorded during their weeklong residency at The Matrix Club, vintage 1966.

We’ve always got a full house here on Tuesday Bluesday, so join us! We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free to the public. Your money’s no good here.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

Our ‘Friends Of Mine’ EP, A Trio of Songwriters, and a Blood, Sweat & Tears Spotlight on Monday, November 27, 2023

Welcome to a rainy Monday here in the Boston area as I prepare to work a rare Monday shift. But The Music Mermaid has a great show lined up for you!

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Friends of Mine: Various Artists

This one has been waiting its turn for a bit. Songs to our friendships are in the pipeline today with The Guess Who, Willie Nelson, War, The Beach Boys, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Todd Rundgren, Linda Ronstadt, Queen, REM, Simon & Garfunkel, John Prine, Carole King, Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, The Kinks, Joan Baez, The Beatles, Carly Simon, Tracy Nelson, The Byrds, Desmond Dekker, Jackson Browne, Steppenwolf, Elton John, Maria Muldaur, Argent, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Otis Redding and more.

4:00 p.m. Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt & Guy Clark Live at The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN, September 3, 1995

Three brilliant singer-songwriters playing a live show together at a nationally-renowned musical venue for songwriters. This show happened just 15 months before Van Zandt’s death.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Blood, Sweat & Tears NEW!

We’ve had this one on the burner simmering for months. It finally comes full circle today as we put one of the greatest jazz-rock bands on the planet In the Spotlight. Yet, there is a mystery surrounding what happened to this band that literally burst onto the scene and skyrocketed, and then just seemed to disappear. If you’re interested, here’s the story.

Let’s begin a new work week together. We’ve got a full list of ideas for the week simmering here, and we’ll have some new music as well as we head into December. Be there or be square.

Monday, Monday

It’s Simply Sunday With Sam Cooke’s AOW and the ‘#BecomeUngovernable House Music’ EP, November 26, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! We are on another simple Sunday rotation today with plenty of Open Stream and minimal, but excellent, programming.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Ain’t That Good News by Sam Cooke NEW!

This was Sam Cooke’s eleventh and final studio album, released in 1964. It contained his final hit, A Change Is Gonna’ Come, which became an anthem for the civil rights movement of the sixties. The song has increased in popularity over the decades since its release and, although a modest hit compared to his earlier songs, has become one of his best-known songs. Sam Cooke was a musical genius, and his considerable influence on the development of the soul and R&B genre cannot be denied.

3:00 p.m. The #BecomeUngovernable House EP: Various Artists

Primarily songs from the sixties and seventies, this is essentially the music that inspired the radio station. You’ll hear Barry McGuire, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Peter Tosh, The Beatles, Genesis, T-Rex, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, Country Joe & The Fish, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Joan Baez, CSNY, Pink Floyd, The Animals, Ten Years After, The Plastic Ono Band, Billy Joel, George Harrison, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Pete Seger, The Band, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin and more!

Before, in between and after, The Music Mermaid will guide you through our big, wide Open Stream. We’re on 24/7 come hell or high water. And we’re totally free.

Simply Sunday

Today It’s ‘The Original 60’s Rotation’ EP, Dolly’s Rock Opus and We Head to NOLA for Our New Singer-Songwriters, Saturday, November 25, 2023

Welcome, Weekenders! It’s Saturday in The Lounge and we’ve got some early-to-mid sixties music, Dolly’s AOW grand finale, and Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew as our featured singer-songwriters.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

This was our very first EP and it was built from two shorter playlists. You’ll hear 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, Procol Harum and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Rockstar by Dolly Parton FINAL AIRING!

This is the final airing of Dolly’s great rock opus, in response to her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, don’t fret. It is party of our standard rotation now.

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew NEW!

Every time we play Fats, I ask the same question: Was anybody singing rock n’ roll before Fats? I’m not sure. For absolute sure, Fats Domino was a true pioneer of the genre…one of the forefathers who made it happen. Today, along with his long-time collaborator, Dave Bartholomew, Fats is our featured singer-songwriter.

I’ll be off to the salt mines for one more day today, but The Music Mermaid has got this totally covered. She’ll take care of the wide Open Stream in between as well. Hope you all have a fantastic day!

Welcome, Weekenders!