At Midweek It’s Games With Names, a Bonnie Raitt Spotlight, Plus Jackson Browne & Warren Zevon Together on Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’re at midweek and we are in the groove here as we kick things off in our ‘What’s In A Name’ multi-artist EP. Some characters are real; some not.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. What’s In A Name: Various Artists

Did you ever wonder if the people musical artist sing about are real or flights of imagination? It’s a neat little guessing game you can play with The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Them, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jimi Hendrix Experience, 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!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Raitt is, by all accounts, an amazing roots-influenced singer and slide guitarist whose style encompasses blues, country, folk and rock. Today we put her In The Spotlight.

8:00 p.m. Jackson Browne & Warren Zevon In Session, VPRO Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands, December 8 1976

Two of the best singer-songwriters of their generation get together for a live acoustic set at VPRO Studios in The Netherlands.

We’re at midweek and we’re on the downslide to the weekend once we get through this day. Make it easy on yourselves by tuning in for some great music that won’t cost you a penny or subject you to commercial advertising. The button’s below.

We’re At Midweek!

We’ve Got The Windy City Blues on Tuesday Bluesday, Along With a B. B. King Spotlight and Live Johnny Winter, May 14, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists! We’ve got some fine Tuesday Bluesday programming today as we kick things off with our ‘Best of Chicago Blues’ EP!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We head for the Windy City this morning to hear Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Lowell Fulson, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Magic Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Son Seals, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Otis Spann and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of B. B. King

The legendary B. B. King and his girl, Lucille, drop by this afternoon.

7:00 p.m. Johnny Winter Live at The Mural Amphitheater, Seattle, WA, September 4, 1989 NEW!

We’ve got some new live Johnny Winter with his performance at 1989 Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle.

It is undoubtedly a bluesy day as it’s my return-to-retail-hell day but, hey, good music can make all the difference. Tune us in and see for yourself. It won’t cost you a penny.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday

It’s ‘Water, Water Everywhere’, ‘Live’ Santana, and Irma Thomas In The Spotlight on Monday, May 13, 2024

Good morning and welcome to the beginning of another work week here in The Mermaid Lounge. We’ve got a great lineup to ease you back into the week.

Here’s your musical Monday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Water, Water Everywhere: Various Artists

One of the most popular music subjects is water in all its forms, and we’ve got it here with Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Otis Redding, The Doobie Brothers, Valerie Carter, Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Al Green, Loggins & Messina, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Linda Ronstadt, Spirit, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Tom Rush Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

4:00 p.m. Santana Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, December 19-22, 1968 NEW!

Santana recorded live in concert over a short residency back in ’68, eight months before their first album was released.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Irma Thomas

A contemporary of both Aretha Franklin and Etta James, Irma Thomas is referred to as the ‘Soul Queen of New Orleans’.

We’re back at the beginning of another work week some of us need help getting us through that first day. Here we are. On 24/7. Totally free. And without commercial advertising.

Just Push Play

It’s a Soul Music Fest on Mother’s Day With ‘M is For Motown’, ‘Live’ James Brown, and Bill Withers, Sunday, May 12, 2024

Good morning, soul music lovers! We celebrate Mother’s Day with a little bit of soul in our programming today, starting with ‘M is For Motown’.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. M is For Motown: Various Artists

We kick it off with our tribute to Motown with Barrett Strong, Eddie Kendricks, Eddie Holland, Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson Five, Kim Weston, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, The Temptations, The Contours, Rare Earth, Mary Wells, Tammi Terrell, Diana Ross & The Supremes and more!

4:00 p.m. James Brown Live at The House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV, June 13, 1999

The hardest working man in showbiz takes the stage this afternoon live from The House of Blues in Vegas.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Bill Withers

In comparison to other artists, singer-songwriter Bill Withers career in music was short, spanning only 18 years, but he had an amazing impact on music during that time, winning three Grammy awards and being nominated for six more. He also had a string of great hits including Lean On Me, Just The Two of Us, and Ain’t No Sunshine. He is a Mermaid Lounge favorite and he’s In the Spotlight this evening.

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone, because everyone is essentially a mother. Kick off those shoes, sit back and listen to some great music today. We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free of charge and free of advertising!

Happy Mother’s Day!

‘Are You Ready for The Country’, a Guy Clark Spotlight and ‘Live’ Lukas Nelson & POTR on Saturday, May 11, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We keep it on the country side today with our programming, both old school and country-rock, that great sound out of Laurel Canyon.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

Another EP out of mothballs this morning as we pay homage to the old standards and the country rockers with The Eagles, Asleep at The Wheel, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Poco, Linda Ronstadt, Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Jerry Jeff Walker, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Carlene Carter, Rosanne Cash, The Desert Rose Band, Kris Kristofferson, Gram Parsons, John Prine, Tom Rush, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Guy Clark

Surely one of the absolute best country singer-songwriters ever. I know I’ve told this story before, but one dreadfully snowy night my friend George and I were walking around Harvard Square freezing when we decided to go into a place called Passim’s Coffee House to warm up. We had no idea who Guy Clark was, but we paid the cover charge and went inside. It was undoubtedly one of the best things I ever did in my life. I was totally hooked. And he played a mean fiddle to boot.

8:00 p.m. Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real Live at The Boathouse, Newport News, VA, June 14, 2018

We close out the country programming with Lukas Nelson and his great little band. Lukas comes from great country outlaw pedigree, so it’s no wonder we love him here in The Mermaid Lounge.

We’re here 24/7 for your listening pleasure, at absolutely no charge to you and with absolutely no commercial interruption. Ever. Just an occasional station I.D. bit courtesy of yours truly. That’s it. The button’s below.

Are You Ready?

Yeah, It’s Friday. And ‘It’s About Time’ Indeed, Along With a Paul Simon Spotlight and Live Neil Young & Crazy Horse, May 10, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! Welcome to Friday in The Mermaid Lounge where we break out our ‘It’s About Time’ playlist, and that’s just for starters!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. It’s About Time: Various Artists

We’re breaking this out of mothballs; almost forgot we had made it. Time is relative, at least to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Guess Who, The Doors, the J. Geils Band, Joni Mitchell, Little Feat, Canned Heat, Paul Simon, Talking Heads, Nina Simone, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, J. J. Cale, Linda Ronstadt, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Eagles, Valerie Carter, The Byrds and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Paul Simon

Paul Simon is one of the most incredible singer-songwriters of all time, over a sixty-year career both as part of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. We put him In The Spotlight where he belongs this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live at The Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA, October 22, 1978

Neil and his favorite back-up band, Crazy Horse, on the original Cortez The Killer tour. He is indeed back with Crazy Horse on his 2024 tour and they are back on Cortez The Killer, debuting a never-before-heard ‘lost verse.’ Neil Young is a musical legend and still killing it on the road like The Energizer Bunny.

We’re here with the music 24/7 at no charge to the public and with absolutely no commercial advertising. We are all about the music.

Friday Has Arrived!

Thursday Brings Our ‘British Are Coming’ EP, Blind Faith Live in ’69 and a Jeff Lynne’s ELO Spotlight, May 9, 2024

Good morning, music lovers, and Thursday shall be decreed British origin. Our programs are dedicated to songs from across the pond and British artists!

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The British Are Coming!: Various Artists

I remember the British Invasion well because it began with The Beatles, of course. And it was a blast! You’ll hear The Beatles, The Who, Dave Mason, ELO, Petula Clark, The Zombies, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, The Bee Gees, The Moody Blues, Rod Stewart, Them, Herman’s Hermits, The Rolling Stones, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Badfinger, The Yardbirds, Traffic, Elton John, Lulu, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Animals, Cream, Donovan, The Searchers, The Spencer Davis Group and more!

4:00 p.m. Blind Faith Live at The Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA, August 16, 1969

We’re back in The Wayback Machine this afternoon for an oldie with Blind Faith.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: Jeff Lynne’s ELO

Otherwise known as Electric Light Orchestra, a fine band indeed. And any guy who became a Traveling Wilbury is just fine by me. They’ve been busy on their farewell tour this year and they’ll be blowing through Boston in September. It’s a good time to put them In The Spotlight!

We’re edging toward the weekend once again, my good friends. We’re still totally free and devoid of commercial advertising. We’re all about the music.

The British Are Coming!

At Midweek, We’re ‘Under The Influence’ With a Spotlight on The Band, and Some Live Little Feat, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We take a favorite EP out of mothballs today and give you a Spotlight feature on The Band and ‘Live’ Little Feat from London.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

We have all been here. There’s no denying it. Some of our ‘influences’ have been legal; some decidedly not. You’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, The Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Talking Heads, Neil Young, The Beatles, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Foreigner, Jonathan Edwards, John Lee Hooker, Donovan and more!

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

They were once Bob Dylan’s backup band. That’s how they got their name. They were referred to as ‘the band’. And then, they morphed into one of the most prolific and influential musical groups of their generation. They are In The Spotlight today.

8:00 p.m. Little Feat Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, August 4, 1977

Speaking of great bands, we close the programming with a great live performance from Little Feat from The Rainbow in London.

I hear the weather is going to be nasty today here in the Boston area, rainy with possibly our first round of thunderstorms this season. We’ll see. But if I could hunker down here today with this great music, I’d be doing it. The button’s below.

Feed Your Head.

It’s ‘Ladies Sing The Blues,’ Susan Tedeschi and Big Mama & Muddy In Session, on Tuesday Bluesday, May 7, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists, and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday here in The Lounge, where the blues are great and the living is not always easy, but hey.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We kick it off with the ladies of the blues, including Billie Holliday, 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. In The Spotlight: The Music of Susan Tedeschi

This afternoon it’s Boston original Susan Tedeschi, solo artist and one of the leaders of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, In The Spotlight.

7:00 p.m. Big Mama Thornton and The Muddy Waters Blues Band In Session at Coast Recorders, San Francisco, CA, April 25, 1966

We jump into the Wayback Machine to close out Tuesday Bluesday with Big Mama and Muddy live together at Coast Recorders.

Tuesday Bluesday is now in its sixth year here in The Mermaid Lounge and is always one of our most popular days, so give it a listen. We’re on 24/7, we’re totally free of charge, and devoid of commercial advertising. We’re radio the way it was meant to be.

Tuesday Bluesday!

We Close Out Fillmore Fest With A Bang With The Heartbreakers & Music From The Final Days, Monday, May 6, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! Since we’re operating on an ‘eight days a week’ basis, we took an extra day for Fillmore Fest and we’ll close it out in style

Here’s your Fillmore Fest lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Fillmore: The Last Days

Bill Graham’s vaunted Fillmore closed in 1971, a couple of years after The Fillmore East, both the victims of the penchant for booking large arena venues for concerts. The final shows include performances by Hot Tuna, Boz Scaggs, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Cold Blood, The Elvin Bishop Group, The Grateful Dead and more!

6:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, January-February 1997

The Fillmore, of course, was reborn in San Francisco and other cities as well and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers took advantage of the small venue to play a legendary run of 20 sold-out nights in 1997 where they tore up the big arena set lists and allowed the attendees to write down song requests for the band. They played over 100 different songs during their 20-night run, including a series of covers paying tribute to those who inspired them that were simply amazing. Some of those covers included the Kinks’ You Really Got Me, The Dead’s Friend of The Devil, Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine and J.J. Cale’s Call Me The Breeze. There were also special guests, like John Lee Hooker and Roger McGuinn, who joined them on stage. We usually play this selection in three parts, but today it’s a one-sitting event to close out Fillmore Week.

Hell, it’s Monday all over again. What could be better than pulling up a new tab and joining our final day of Fillmore Fest? The button’s below.

Farewell, Fillmore Fest!