Category: Soul Music

Thursday Brings Our Epic Soul/R&B EP, a Harry Nilsson ‘Spotight’ Feature, and The Byrds Live Reunion, On July 24, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome back as we prepare for high heat indices here for the next couple of days. But we’re cool here in The Mermaid Lounge, and so are the musical vibes.

Here’s your Thursday musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

We start off with five hours of uninterrupted soul and R & B from Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, TheFour Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Carla Thomas, James Brown, The Shirelles, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, LaVern Baker, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Sam Cooke, Edwin Starr, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Ann Peebles, Al Green, and more!

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

Ah, yes. Nilsson (as he was usually called) was one of the most interesting singer-songwriters on the planet; a true entertainer who experimented with wild vocal overdubs, and infusions of Caribbean sounds. He was another of the artists of his generation who also returned to the Great American Songbook. He was wildly popular in the seventies, and he died far too young at the age of 52, but his legend lives on.

8:00 p.m. The Byrds Live at The Boarding House, San Francisco, CA, February 9, 1978

This was dubbed The Reunion Concert as it reunited Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and Gene Clark. Of course, David Crosby made a surprise appearance, and reunited one of the greatest bands on the planet.

Once again, we’re here in The Lounge delivering the best music on the planet at no charge and with absolutely no commercial interruption. Tune us in. You can see for yourselves. The button is below.

The Button.

Midweek Brings ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’, a Don McLean ‘Spotlight,’ and Live Peter, Paul & Mary, On Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Good morning, folk music lovers. We’ve got a folksy midweek music excursion starting with out big folk music EP, followed by Don McLean, and Peter, Paul & Mary live at Newport!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

We kick it off with the genre that birthed the protest song. It was folk, not rock, although rock adopted the practice. You’ll hear John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Eric Andersen, Bonnie Raitt, The Band, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, and more!

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

The man who is best known for the anthem American Pie was so much more than that. Over his career, he released more than 40 gold and platinum records. He’s ‘In the Spotlight’ this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Peter, Paul & Mary Live at The Newport Folk Festival, Freebody Park, Newport, RI, 1963-1965 NEW!

We close out the programming with a collection of PPM’s live performances at the legendary Newport Folk Festival.

It’s a folksy day here in The Mermaid Lounge, and that’s always a treat. The genre goes in and out of style, but never goes away and we’re thankful for that. Remember that before, in between and after, we give you our big, wide Open Stream! The button is below!

Just Push Play!

It’s Tuesday Bluesday With a Brand New EP, Long John Baldry Live in Germany, and an SRV ‘Spotlight’ Feature, July 22, 2025

Good morning, bluesologists! Today we introduce our fifth blues EP with ‘The Best of British Blues,’ followed by some live Long John Baldry and Stevie Ray Vaughan ‘In the Spotlight.’

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Best of British Blues: Various Artists NEW!

We kick off another Tuesday Bluesday with a brand new EP of British blues and blues-rock featuring The Animals, Chicken Shack, Peter Green, Foghat, The Jeff Beck Group, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, The Rolling Stones, Christine McVie, Long John Baldry, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Savoy Brown, Them, The Yardbirds, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Robin Trower, Elles Bailey, Alex Korner and more!

4:00 p.m. Long John Baldry Live at The Down Town Blues Club, Hamburg, Germany, September 21, 1999

One of the great British bluesman drops by with a live performance this afternoon!

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Stevie Ray Vaughan

We close out our Tuesday Bluesday programming with a guy, who in just seven years, managed to establish himself as one of the most influential blues artists in the world.

We’re here on another Tuesday Bluesday with another EP in the arsenal. Remember that before, in between, and after the blues we give you our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs. The button is below.

Best of British Blues!

On Monday It’s ‘Rock, Blues & Ballads,’ Johnny Rivers Live at The Whiskey, and a Santana ‘Spotlight’ Feature, July 21, 2025

Happy Monday, musicologists! Today we serve up this neat little playlist I almost forgot about, along with live Johnny Rivers and some Santana to close out the programming!

Here’s your Monday, Monday playlist:

10:00 a.m. Rock, Blues & Ballads: Various Artists

We’ve got so much stuff that we almost forgot about this great little playlist featuring Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Aretha Franklin, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffett, Eric Clapton, Dusty Springfield, Neil Young, Paul McCartney & Wings, Long John Baldry, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Greg Allman, Johnny Cash, and more!

4:00 p.m. Johnny Rivers Live at The Whiskey A Go Go, West Hollywood, CA, January 15, 1964

One of the best hitmakers of the sixties visits us this afternoon for some great live music at the legendary Whiskey.

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

We close out the day’s programming with some Latin Rock (a fusion of rock, jazz and Latin influences) courtesy of Santana.

Remember, before, in between, and after our great programming we give you that big, wide Open Stream! See for yourselves. The button is below.

Monday, Monday

On Sunday, It’s ‘Ode To Morning,’ a Wilbury ‘Spotlight’ Feature, and Bonnie Raitt & Friends Live in NY, July 20, 2025

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to Sunday Funday here in The Mermaid Lounge. Today we open with songs about morning, then we’ve got TheTraveling Wilburys and live Bonnie Raitt!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ode to Morning: Various Artists

We open with our ‘Ode to Morning’ EP with Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Beatles, Neil Young, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan, Badfinger, Townes Van Zandt, Chris Hillman, Pure Prairie League, and more!

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

The best damned supergroup in music history drops by this afternoon to give us their catalogue. It started out as five friends enjoying each other’s company and playing together, and morphed into one giant impressive display of musical talent, leaving us with the desire for more. Enjoy.

8:00 p.m. Bonnie Raitt & Friends Live at Ultrasonic Studios, Hempstead, NY, October 17, 1972

Bonnie Raitt brings friends Lowell George (Little Feat) and John Hammond along to Ultrasonic Studios for live, in-studio concert broadcast on WLIR-FM.

Kick back and enjoy. It’s still the weekend and there’s still plenty of time before the realities of everyday life return. We’re on 24/7 and we’re completely free. What could be better? Oh, yeah, there’s also no commercial advertising. The button’s below.

The Button.

On Saturday, it’s ‘Here Comes The Night,’ Bob Dylan Covers, and Laura Nyro Live at The Fillmore, On July 19, 2025

Good morning, weekenders! We’ve got a great lineup today that includes ‘Everybody But Bob’, a bunch of great artists who have covered the songs of Bob Dylan over the years!

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Here Comes the Night: Various Artists

We kick off the morning with songs about the night from The Beatles, Warren Zevon, the J. Geils Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Them, Van Morrison, Patti Smith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, The Kinks, the Electric Prunes, Phoebe Snow, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, The Doors, John Cougar Mellencamp, Poco, Emmylou Harris, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood, The Traveling Wilburys, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, and more!

4:00 p.m. Everybody But Bob: Various Artists

A great collection of artists who have covered the works of Dylan over the years, including Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Leon Russell, Maria Mudaur and many more!

8:00 p.m. Laura Nyro Live at The Fillmore East, New York, NY, March 30, 1971

We close it out with another master songwriter, this time singing her own songs. There’s nothing like it.

We’re here 24/7 no matter what. We’re totally free. We’re free of advertising. And there’s no chatter from DJs who don’t know when to shut up. The button is below.

Welcome Weekenders!

On Friday, We Open With Reggae, Then It’s Hot Tuna Live at The Fillmore, and The Kinks ‘In The Spotlight’, July 18, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! We are opening the morning today with our ‘Best of Reggae & Ska’ playlist, then we move on to some blues-rock from Hot Tuna, and the battling Davies brothers and The Kinks.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists

We’re heading for an EP with this one, but we’re not there yet. You’ll hear Bob Marley & The Wailers, Peter Tosh, Prince Buster, Jimmy Cliff, Laurel Aitken, Desmond Dekker & The Aces (and some without the Aces), Judy Mowatt, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, The Rhythm Aces, Derrick Morgan, and more!

4:00 p.m. Hot Tuna Live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, March 4, 1988

Rising up out of the ashes of Jefferson Airplane came the great blues-rock band Hot Tuna, led by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. Today we have them live from The Fillmore.

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

One of the best bands of The British Invasion that has stood the test of time, despite the battling Davies brothers. This is a great playlist, and a great way to close the programming.

This is a pretty eclectic chunk of programming today, but that is what we are all about. If you’re listening during the day, you know our stream is all in the eclectic zone. See for yourselves. The button is below!

Best of Reggae & Ska!

On Thursday We’ve Got the ‘Original Sixties Rotation,’ Young Linda Ronstadt, and The Fab Four, On July 17, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! Today it’s a five-hour trip back to the sixties, a celebration of Linda Ronstadt’s 79th birthday, and the harmonies of The Beatles!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We had back to the sixties with The Beatles, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Joe Cocker, Little Eva, Simon & Garfunkel, 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, The Temptations, Del Shannon, Fontella Bass, James Brown, the Blues Image, Booker T. & The MGs, The Four Tops, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Them, The Left Banke, Fats Domino, and more!

4:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt: The Stone Poneys & The Early Solo Years

Today we celebrate our favorite musical muse as she enters her 79th year (actually, it was July 15). She may not be able to sing anymore, but her legacy and work lives on forever.

8:00 p.m. The Beatles: Three-Part Harmonies

They were masters at this, and tonight we bring the receipts with a great collection of songs!

As always, before, in between, and after our great programming we give you our big, wide Open Stream. We’re on 24/7 at no charge. There’s no ‘subscription’ or credit card required. Simply hit the button below!

Happy Birthday, Linda!

At Midweek It’s ‘Music From Laurel Canyon,’ Joni Mitchell Live at Club 47, and a Sam Cooke ‘Spotlight,’ on July 16, 2025

We’re at midweek and we’ve got a Laurel Canyon focus with our EP and some live Joni Mitchell, then we close with the King of Soul, Sam Cooke, ‘In the Spotlight.’

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

We’ve got two decades of musicians who feasted on the creative energy of Laurel Canyon to start, with The Byrds, The Mamas & Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, 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!

4:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Club 47, Cambridge, MA, January 10, 1968

Club 47 was a hotbed of great folk music in Cambridge hosting many stars like Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and, of course, the great Joni Mitchell. We have her live today in a 1968 performance. It’s time for the Wayback Machine!

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Sam Cooke

We close with another legend known as the King of Soul, Sam Cooke.

I’m on the run, so I’m not going to give you my usual closing here. Suffice it to say, we’re on 24/7 playing the greatest music on the planet, so just hit the button below to see for yourselves!

Music From Laurel Canyon!

On Tuesday Bluesday It’s ‘Ladies Sing The Blues,’ Live Howlin’ Wolf, and a Jimmy Reed ‘Spotlight’ Feature, On July 15, 2025

Good morning, bluesologists! We open it up with the ladies of the blues large and in charge, then it’s live Howlin’ Wolf, and a Jimmy Reed ‘Spotlight’ feature!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

Music from long ago combined with current abounds here with Billie Holiday, 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 Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads, and more!

4:00 p.m. Howlin’ Wolf Live at Alice’s Revisited, Chicago, IL, January 26, 1972

This is rarity here, and we’re on the hunt for more live Howlin’ Wolf, but today we have him live from Alice’s Revisited in Chicago.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jimmy Reed

The son of a sharecropper, Jimmy Reed’s amazing guitar style made the blues accessible to a wide audience.

Remember, before, in between, and after we give you our big, wide Open Stream. We’re on 24/7, 365 days a year at no charge to our listening public. Give it a try. The button is below!

Ladies Sing The Blues!