Saturday Brings ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul,’ a Hank Williams ‘Spotlight,’ and Live Flying Burrito Brothers, On September 27, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! Still suffering through COVID, so this post won’t be log. We kick off the day with some soul, then move into country and country-rock!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

We kick things off with soul and R & B across the spectrum (not just Motown) with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Curtis Mayfield, The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, LaVern Baker, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Irma Thomas, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Fontella Bass, Ann Peebles, Edwin Starr, Wilson Pickett, and more!

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

We spend some time this afternoon with a country legend who was also one of the forefathers of rock and roll.

8:00 p.m. The Flying Burrito Brothers Live at The Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, April 6, 1969

We close it out with Gram Parsons and the Burritos as an opening act for The Grateful Dead live at The Avalon Ballroom.

We’re here 24/7. We’re free, and we run no commercial advertising. All you need to do is hit the button below.

On Sunday, It’s ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul,’ a Livingston Taylor ‘Spotlight’ Feature and Live Emmylou Harris, August 24, 2025

Good morning, musicologists. It’s Sunday Funday as we open up with five hours of uninterrupted soul and R & B across all music labels, not just Motown!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

We start off with five uninterrupted hours of soul and R & B from Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, 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, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Ann Peebles, Al Green, and more!

He may not have the universal appeal of Sweet Baby James, but Livingston Taylor is a fine multi-instrumentalist and folk singer famous and loved here in Boston and the New England area. Today he’s in our ‘Spotlight.’

8:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & The Desert Rose Band Live at The Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, CA, August 3, 1986

Tonight we close with Emmylou and her friends from the Desert Rose Band, a fine country- rock band founded in 1985 by Chris Hillman, Herb Pederson, and John Jorgenson.

We’re here 24/7. The sun never sets in The Mermaid Lounge. We’re totally free, and we’re playing you the best music on the planet! The button is below.

On Thursday We Open With ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul,’ Then It’s Live Allman Brothers Band, and a Laura Nyro ‘Spotlight’, April 24, 2025

We’re headed toward the weekend today. It’s all downhill from here. We open with five hours of soul and R & B music, then we’ve got the Allman Brothers Band live at the Beacon and Laura Nyro ‘In the Spotlight!’

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

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

We start off with five uninterrupted hours of soul and R & B with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, 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, Edwin Starr, Sam Cooke, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops and more!

4:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band Live at The Beacon Theater, New York, NY, March 10 & 11, 1992

The Brothers give yet another masterful live performance at The Beacon in NYC.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Laura Nyro

We close out the programming with a ‘Spotlight’ featuring the amazing Laura Nyro. She was a catalyst for many artists who covered her songs.

We are closer to the weekend, folks, and that means stability in a nation with a very unstable lout in office. Here in The Mermaid Lounge we play the best music on the planet and the journey is everything. The button is below.

We’re Feeling Soulful With Our Big EP, a Drifters ‘Spotlight’, and Live Nina Simone on Saturday, February 22, 2025

Good morning, soul and R & B lovers! We’re amped up today as we bring you ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ for starters, then it’s the Drifters ‘In the Spotlight’ and some live Nina Simone!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

We officially begin the weekend with our biggest soul music EP, featuring Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, The Drifters, 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, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Drifters

The Drifters have an interesting background, reflecting the social injustice of the times. It’s too long for me to write about on this blog, but you can read all about it here. Regardless, they made some great music and we’ve got them ‘In the Spotlight’ today.

Today we celebrate the birthday (February 21) of the late, great Nina Simone, singer, songwriter, music arranger and, yes, civil rights and social justice activist. Here she’s live at the the annual Jazz a Juan International Jazz Festival. We need her fighting spirit now.

Come on in to The Mermaid Lounge for a little bit of soul and R & B today. In between that programming, we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream running 24/7 at no charge. We’re anti-capitalist. We care about only one thing: Playing great music for you folks with absolutely no commercial interruption. The button is below.

On Sunday, It’s ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’, Live Emmylou Harris, and The Pretenders ‘In The Spotlight’, January 26, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We’re all over the musical map today with our ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, some live Emmylou Harris and The Pretenders ‘In the Spotlight’ later!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

We start the day off with our big kahuna of soul and R & B encompassing Motown, Stax and Atlantic, among others. You’ll hear Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, 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, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

4:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris Live at My Father’s Place, Roslyn, New York, September 14, 1976

This afternoon we’ve got some early Emmylou Harris from My Father’s Place, a popular venue for young, aspiring artists on Long Island.

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

Chrissie Hynde’s band brings up the rear with some hard-edged rock as we close out the day’s programming.

But we’re here all day and all night. Before, in between, and after our scheduled programs we give you our big, wide Open Stream without interruption. The button is below.

Sunday is ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ Day Plus an Irma Thomas ‘Spotlight’ and Live Sam Cooke, November 24, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got a soulful day going on today starting with our multi-artist ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

The big kahuna of our soul music EP’s here with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Irma Thomas, Ann Peebles, Carla Thomas, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke, The Shirelles, Etta James, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Al Green, Nina Simone. LaVern Baker, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Irma Thomas

A contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, Irma Thomas has earned the name ‘The Soul Queen of New Orleans’. Today she’s ‘In the Spotlight.’

8:00 p.m. Sam Cooke Live at The Harlem Square Club, Miami, FL, January 12, 1963

The legendary, late, great King of Soul closes out our soulful Sunday programming.

Here we are again. (Sigh.) 24/7. Totally free. No commercials. Just music. The button is below.

Welcome Weekenders! It’s ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’, an Al Green Spotlight, and Live Norah Jones on Saturday, August 24, 2024

Good morning, Weekenders! We’ve got a soulful day all lined up for you before we head into Norah Jones territory later, our first ‘live’ Norah Jones feature ever, but it won’t be the last.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

Actually a lot of soul here 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, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Nina Simone, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, LaVern Baker, Diana Ross & The Supremes and more! Five hours of uninterrupted soul and R&B!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Al Green

We bring the Reverend Al into The Mermaid Lounge this afternoon for his particular brand of soul, some of the most soulful stuff you’ll ever hear.

We’ve got Norah Jones, that purveyor of soulful jazz, closing out our programming for the evening.

It’s Saturday and We’ve Got ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’, a Dylan Spotlight for His 83rd, and ‘Live’ Bobbie Gentry, May 25, 2024

Good morning and welcome to Memorial Day Weekend! We’re not going anywhere; we’re sitting tight here in The Mermaid Lounge playing music all weekend and we’ve got some great stuff lined up!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

Yes, we kick it all off with our big, bad soul and R&B extended playlist where you’ll hear 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 Box Tops, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Joe Tex, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Bob Dylan

The poet laureate of music turned 83 years young yesterday and we are putting him In The Spotlight where he belongs as one of the best songwriters in the history of any kind of music, among other things.

8:00 p.m. Bobbie Gentry Live at The BBC, 1968-1969

Speaking of great songwriters, we’ve got Bobbie Gentry recorded live at the BBC over year’s period. She brings along special guests Donovan and James Taylor as well.

Get in on it. We’re rolling here all day and night with absolutely no interruption and no commercial advertising. We don’t need your credit card. We’re all about the music.

We’ve Got Willie Nelson as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter and Our ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, Monday, February 19, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got a great Monday on tap today with Willie Nelson as this week’s featured singer-songwriter and our big, bad soul EP this afternoon into evening.

Here’s your musical lineup:

You had to know we’d get around to the original Outlaw here in The Mermaid Lounge and today is that day.

3:00 p.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

We’ve got our big, bad soul EP up at midday 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 Box Tops, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Eddie Floyd, Percy Sledge, The Ad Libs, Joe Tex, Wanda Jackson, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

Today We’ve Got ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’, Al Green’s Final Spin, and an Emmylou Harris Spotlight, Friday, January 19, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! Hope all is well where you are and that you’re ready for another day in The Mermaid Lounge where the attitude is easy and the music is fine.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Soul from all over the spectrum 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 Box Tops, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Eddie Floyd, Percy Sledge, Wanda Jackson, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more.

4:00 p.m.  Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Al Green FINAL AIRING!

Speaking of the great Al Green, he takes his final spin today as our featured singer-songwriter. On Monday, we will have a brand new artist.

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

I was not a real country fan until I heard Linda Ronstadt. And it was Linda Ronstadt’s music that helped introduced me to Emmylou Harris. I heard Elite Hotel and I was hooked, and have been ever since. Emmylou Harris has deservedly won nearly every music accolade humanly possible. She helped continue to shape country music, while refusing to allow it to define her singing. Tonight she’s our Spotlight artist.

Yes, it’s Friday once again. We’ve nearly made it to the weekend. And what better way to get over the final line than right here with great music at absolutely no charge to anyone and with absolutely no commercial interruption?