Category: The Blues

It’s Monday and We’ve Got Linda Ronstadt, The Flying Burrito Brothers and a CCR Spotlight Later, March 25, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We are on a roll here with a bit of a new approach. We’ve got a lot of music already in our arsenal and we’re adding new live ‘gigs’ and Spotlights.

Here’s Monday’s music:

10:00 a.m. Linda Ronstadt Live at Television Center Studios, Hollywood, CA, April 24, 1980

Another great live performance by the undisputed Queen of Rock (sorry, Taylor). This was recorded at a time when Ronstadt was at the peak of her reign as America’s most popular singer.

3:00 p.m. The Flying Burrito Brothers Live at My Father’s Place, Roslyn, Long Island, NY, November 28, 1976

One of the pioneering bands of the country-rock genre whose members were ever present in the Laurel Canyon scene. Today they are live from an iconic venue.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Creedence Clearwater Revival

In 1969 alone, Creedence released 3 albums, had 4 hit US singles, performed on the Ed Sullivan show twice, toured the US and headlined the Woodstock Festival. They went on to become one of the most successful bands of its generation and the music has stood the test of time.

It’s supposed to be sunny here today, but as I look at my weather app, it ends there. Today will be followed by four days of rain. Nobody will convince me that the weather in the Boston area isn’t changing. Virtually no snow three years running, but plenty of rain. But I digress. Tune us in. We’re on 24/7. We’re totally free. And there’s no commercial advertising.

Just Push Play.

Linda Ronstadt’s Final AOW, ‘Folk Music From A-to-Z’ and a Jimmy Cliff Spotlight on Sunday, March 24, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! It’s Sunday in The Lounge and we have our final AOW in the series today, along with our ‘Folk Music From A-to-Z’ EP and Jimmy Cliff later.

Here are your Sunday Funday programs:

10:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Heart Like A Wheel by Linda Ronstadt NEW!

This album was one of the very first we featured back in 2019, and it’s our final AOW as we’ll be using the slot for other programming. This album turns 50 this year, and it stands the test of time. Ronstadt’s fifth studio album was her final for Capitol Records and the album that finally put her on the map. There was no turning back. The rest is music history.

12:00 p.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

I remember the great folk music revival of the sixties, much centered around the Greenwich Village area. However, folk has a long history and was the catalyst for protest music. You’ll hear Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Odetta, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Phil Ochs, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, Neil Young and more!

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

Jimmy Cliff is a reggae, ska, rocksteady, soul singer, musician and multi-instrumentalist. He is the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honor that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences. Tonight we have him In the Spotlight.

So, yes, this is our final Album of The Week, although we will interject albums into our programming on whim. We have so much music and so many playlists that we need to open up some breathing room for them. You won’t be disappointed as we move forward.

Sunday Funday!

It’s Friday With ‘Live’ Steely Dan, ‘Everybody But Bob’ and Our ‘Train Tracks’ Multi-Artist Playlist, March 22, 2024

Good morning and welcome to the end of the work week! We’ve got some early ‘live’ Steely Dan and two outstanding multi-artist playlists for you today.

Here’s your Friday playlists:

10:00 a.m. Steely Dan Live at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, March 20, 1974 NEW!

This live in-studio concert was part of a promotion run by ABC Dunhill Records around the release of Countdown To Ecstasy and the hits that were spawned by that album. It was broadcast live over now-defunct (sadly) rock station KMET.

3:00 p.m. Everybody But Bob: Bob Dylan Cover Songs

It should come as no surprise that the man who won a Nobel Prize for Literature for his songwriting would boast an impressive lists of artists who have covered his songs. You’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, George Harrison, Linda Ronstadt, Joan Baez, Chrissie Hynde, Tracy Nelson, The Band, Johnny Winter, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Fairport Convention, The Byrds, Hot Tuna and more.

8:00 p.m. Train Tracks: Various Artists

We close out the programming with a playlist of songs about trains, runaway and otherwise, with Steve Winwood, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, New Riders of The Purple Sage, the Doobie Brothers, J.J. Cale, Chicken Shack, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Rosanne Cash, Allen Toussaint, The Eagles, Paul Simon, The Guess Who, Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark, Joni Mitchell and more!

While I am laboring in retail hell, you can be here listening to some of the best music on the planet! We’re on 24/7 with no interruption and at no cost to our listeners. We are also commercial-free rock n’ roll, soul, folk, blues, reggae, country and country-rock. Just hit the button below.

It’s Finally Friday!

Heading To the Weekend With ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’, Little Feat’s AOW, and ‘Live’ Music From The Band, Thursday, March 21, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to the downslide to the weekend. We are opening up the festivities this morning with our big, bad soul and R&B EP!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

This is the big one; not just the sound of Motown, but also Atlantic, Stax and more with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four 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, The Supremes, Sam Cooke, Edwin Starr, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Four Tops, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Eddie Floyd, Percy Sledge, Joe Tex, Wanda Jackson, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Feats Don’t Fail Me Now by Little Feat

We’re winding down on this one. The final airing will be sometime on Saturday. Get it while you can!

7:00 p.m. The Band Live at The Carter Baron Amphitheatre, Washington, D.C., July 17, 1976

From Bob Dylan’s backup band to one of the most influential musical acts in popular music history. The Band was nothing short of fantastic. In my mind, there wasn’t either a bad song or album these guys ever released. This was also broadcast live on the famous King Biscuit Flower Hour.

Just do it, people. We’re on 24/7 with no interruption from any kind of commercial advertising, and at no charge to anyone.

A Little Bit O’ Soul!

It’s a Wilbury Wednesday Today, But We Kick It Off With Our ‘Here Comes The Night’ Multi-Artist EP, March 20, 2024

We finally have a Wilbury Wednesday on tap with a great playlist, but we are kicking things off with our ‘Here Comes The Night’ multi-artist EP first!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

We closed the show with songs about the morning the other day, so it’s only fitting we open today with songs about the night time. You’ll hear Warren Zevon, The J. Geils Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Them, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Patti Smith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Electric Prunes, Phoebe Snow, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, The Beatles, John Cougar Mellencamp, The Doors, Poco, Emmylou Harris, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, Steve Winwood, The Traveling Wilburys, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Cliff and Bonnie Raitt.

7:00 p.m. The Traveling Wilburys: The Bootleg Collection

The best supergroup on the planet, bar none, is back with outtakes, alternative takes, works-in-progress and the final product in nearly three hours of great music. Not to be missed.

Before, in between and after we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs continually circulating for your listening pleasure…always at no charge to you and with absolutely no commercial interruption.

It’s Wilbury Wednesday!

Today It’s Blues From the Bayou, Little Feat and Mr. High Energy Johnny Winter Live at The Bottom Line, Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Welcome to Tuesday Bluesday where we’ve got ‘The Best of Louisiana Blues’ and Johnny Winter to open and close. In between, it’s Little Feat’s AOW.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Best of Louisiana Blues: Various Artists

There’s another thing that Louisiana has besides great food, and it’s some great blues artists. You’ll hear Ray Charles, Lillian Glinn, Slim Harpo, Ray Brown, Fats Domino, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Rodney Harris, Roosevelt Sykes, Shirley & Lee, Papa Lightfoot, Guitar Slim, Annie Laurie, Fats Matthews, Big Joe Turner, Big Boy Myles, Little Walter, Mary Butler, Erline Harris, Dave Bartholomew, Marcia Ball, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Feats Don’t Fail Me Now by Little Feat

We continue our 50th anniversary celebration with this great Little Feat album.

7:00 p.m. Johnny Winter Live at The Bottom Line, New York, NY, September 5, 1978

High energy is a mild description for this guy, a brilliant blues guitarist and singer, as well as a record producer. Tonight we close out our Tuesday Bluesday programming with a live performance from The Bottom Line.

It’s always a busy day in The Mermaid Lounge on Tuesday Bluesday, but there’s plenty of room for everyone. We promise.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

Monday, Monday Brings More Cowbell, Joni Mitchell and Warren Zevon To the Mermaid Lounge, March 18, 2024

Good morning, music lovers. Yes, the work week has returned, but it’s not all bad. We’ve got some great stuff going on in The Lounge today. So, tune us in if you can!

Here’s your Monday lineup:

10:00 a.m. More Cowbell, Please: Various Artists

Bet you never knew there were so many songs with cowbell. We’ve got just over three hours today with The Beatles (the best cowbell ever on “I Call Your Name”), The Alan Parson’s Project, Argent, Aretha Franklin, CSNY, Edgar Winter, The Eagles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Electric Light Orchestra, Harry Nilsson, the J. Geils Band, Joe Walsh, The Move, Linda Ronstadt, Journey, The Pretenders, Steely Dan, The Move, Little Feat, Creedence Clearwater Revival and more.

4:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, July 30, 1983

Nothing like a little ‘live’ Joni Mitchell in the afternoon, that’s what I always say. Today she’s live from the amazing natural surroundings of Red Rocks.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Warren Zevon

We haven’t aired this one in a while, so it’s time to break it out. Although a troubled soul through most of his life, he was a brilliant songwriter with a rich rock and roll voice.

This is the first day of the work week, and a good day to lock your office doors and tune in the music. I say ease yourself back into reality rather than jolt yourself. We’re waiting for you.

Monday, Monday

Sunday We’re In the Lounge With Little Feat, The Stones and Our ‘Ode To Morning’ EP, March 17, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome back to The Mermaid Lounge where we celebrate the 50th anniversary of another great album, among other things.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Feats Don’t Fail Me Now by Little Feat NEW!

Another album celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and one of the finest albums ever made indeed. Little Feat has carried on admirably since the death of Lowell George, but there is nothing like Little Feat with Lowell George.

1:00 p.m. Ode To Morning: Various Artists

Yeah. I know. We’re playing this EP in the afternoon, but rules were made to be broken and we break plenty here in The Mermaid Lounge. You’ll hear Yusuf/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!

8:00 p.m. The Rolling Stones Live at The Fonda Theatre, Hollywood, CA, May 20, 2015

On this date, the Stones played a surprise concert at this intimate venue that holds about 1,300 people. They played a 16-song set, including all 10 songs from Sticky Fingers. We have it for you tonight.

It’s Sunday. Kick your shoes off and sit back. The living is easy and the music is great here in The Mermaid Lounge. Join us.

Sunday Funday!

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.

Welcome Weekenders!

Friday Brings a Fillmore East Focus With CSNY and Laura Nyro, Along With Our ‘Looks Like Rain’ Playlist, March 15, 2024

Good morning and welcome to the cusp of the weekend, my friends. We’ve got a focus on some live Fillmore East today with CSNY and Laura Nyro, plus our ‘Looks Like Rain’ playlist.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Live at The Fillmore East, New York, January 5, 1970

We start off the morning with the second best supergroup on the planet (sorry, the Wilburys reign). These guys, however, made some amazing music together, in spite of the fact that they were a bit dysfunctional on a personal level. We’ve got them live from the Fillmore East.

2:00 p.m. Looks Like Rain: Various Artists

This is appropriate for where I am today since it’s pouring out there this morning. We’ve got The Rascals, Willie Nelson, The Grateful Dead, Peter, Paul & Mary, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Ann Peebles, The Beatles, Maria Muldaur, Fats Domino, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Gordon Lightfoot, J.D. Souther, the James Gang, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Temptations, Warren Zevon and more.

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

We return to the Fillmore East this evening to close out the programming with the late, great Laura Nyro. Yes, she was a songwriter who put many singers on the map, but there is nothing like hearing Laura sing her own songs.

We are one day away from the weekend. I’ve been down for the count with COVID, but I am negative today and things are looking up. We’ve got some great music to get you through and we’re totally free of charge and intend to remain so.

Finally Friday!