‘Ode To Morning,’ an Allman Brothers Spotlight, and a Band Too Big To Fail Are All On Tap, Sunday, April 21, 2024

Good morning musicologists and welcome to The Mermaid Lounge where music is Queen. We have a great lineup on tap, so read on for details.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

Fittingly, we begin the morning with songs about the morning. 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 and more!

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

This afternoon we put the spotlight on the band that introduced and anchored the Southern Rock sound, started in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane and Greg Allman. Another founding member was Dicky Betts, one of the finest guitarists on the planet, who left this planet just a few days ago. This one’s for him.

8:00 p.m. Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin, Bruce Hornsby, David Lindley & Wally Ingram Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, September 12, 1999

This is the band that was too big to fail. I was lucky enough to see this tour at what was then called The Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA, under the stars. It was fantastic.

We’re in a hurry here. We begin at nine, so no time to banter. Yes, I overslept. Enjoy the musical journey!

Friday It’s ‘The Original Sixties Rotation,’ The Band, and The Beatles As We Keep It Rooted in The Sixties, April 19, 2024

Good morning, music lovers, especially those who like to get in the Wayback Machine and head to the sixties. That’s our theme for today!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We start it off with the (mostly) early portion of the generation, although I am imperfect and often let some others slip in there. Because I can. You’ll hear The Beatles, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, Little Eva, 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, Del Shannon, The Temptations, James Brown, Fontella Bass, The Box Tops, Blues Image, The Four Tops, The Lovin’ Spoonful and more!

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

From Dylan’s back-up band to one of the most prolific, influential bands of its generation. The Band is in a class all by itself.

8:00 p.m. The Beatles Live at The BBC, June 1963

We close out the programming with The Fab Four. Recorded for broadcast as Pop Go The Beatles in June 1963 at BBC Studios in London.

I’m on the run for an unexpected morning shift. But hey, The Music Mermaid is on the ready and is here to serve. Catch you in the morning.

We’re at Midweek With ‘Color My World’, a Dusty Springfield Spotlight & a McCartney Tokyo Show, Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We’re already at midweek and we’ve got a great lineup, including a Dusty Springfield Spotlight feature and a show from McCartney’s 1993 World Tour.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Color My World: Various Artists

First, however, we start out with colors in the title, lyrics or both with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Donovan, Booker T & The MG’s, Electric Light Orchestra, Procol Harum, Joni Mitchell, The Who, Amy Winehouse, Sam & Dave, Badfinger, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, The Hollies, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Cream, Marvin Gaye, Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Dusty Springfield

The mezzo-soprano master of blue-eyed soul was more than all that. She was another great singer who refused to be defined by any one style.

We close out the programming later with a trip to Tokyo with Paul McCartney on his 1993 World Tour.

Saturday is For ‘Water, Water Everywhere’, Bob Marley & The Wailers and The Stone Poneys, April 13, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to the official weekend, brought to you by the Labor Movement. We’ve got a great lineup for you today for sure, so stick around.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Water is a popular topic in all its forms. Just ask 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, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Linda Ronstadt, Spirit, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, Lindisfarne, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Tom Rush, Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

4:00 p.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, June 13, 1980

There are only two Jamaican musicians in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Jimmy Cliff is one. This guy is the other; the man who made Reggae accessible to the entire world. Today we’ve got him recorded live in Dortmund for Rockpalast.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Stone Poneys Featuring Linda Ronstadt

Who knew that when she left Tuscon and went out to L.A. to hang out and make music with Bobby Kimmel and Kenny Edwards that she would turn into the Queen of Rock for two solid decades. This evening we’ve got the beginnings of the amazing career of Linda Ronstadt.

Join us today as we spread the musical around the globe freely. We’re all about the music. There’s not much chatter. There is no commercial advertising. And there’s no need for your credit card or personal information. Give us a try.

Friday Brings Both Volumes of ‘All About Blue’ Along With George Harrison & Eric Clapton in Nagoya, April 5, 2024

Good morning budding weekenders! We are on the cusp of the weekend and we’ve got some good stuff going in today here in The Mermaid Lounge.

Here’s your end-of-the-work-week lineup:

10:00 a.m. All About Blue, Volume II: Various Artists

As my grandmother used to say, we start this day out ass-end over tea kettle by beginning with volume two. All about the color blue comes from The Rolling Stones, Robert Johnson, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, The Kinks, Linda Ronstadt, Electric Light Orchestra, B. B. King, Little Feat, The Smithereens, Emmylou Harris and more!

3:00 p.m. George Harrison & Eric Clapton Live at The Nagoya International Exhibition Hall, Nagoya, Japan, December 5, 1991

A couple of guys (one who was a much better guy than the other) whose friendship transcended all kinds of personal drama together live in a great concert.

8:00 p.m. All About Blue I: Various Artists

We close with volume one from The Allman Brothers Band, Linda Ronstadt, Mudcrutch, Joni Mitchell, Jonathan Edwards, Paul McCartney & Wings, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Band, Fats Domino, Badfinger, Elvis Presley and more!

We’re here every day without stopping. That means 24/7 with our without programming. And we’re totally free of charge and unencumbered by commercial advertising. What’s not to love?

Thursday Brings Our ‘In Your Dreams’ EP, a Jerry Jeff Walker Spotlight and Neil Young & Crazy Horse ‘Live’ on April 4, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We’re on the downslide to the weekend and we’ve got a great lineup, including some new ‘live’ music from Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

Here’s today’s programming:

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

There are hundreds of songs about dreaming, but some do not make the cut. In this EP you’ll hear The Everly Brothers, The Moody Blues, Van Morrison, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Monkees, The Mamas & The Papas, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Linda Ronstadt, Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Widespread Panic, Jackson Browne, Mudcrutch, Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Harry Chapin, Roy Orbison, Townes Van Zandt, Electric Prunes, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Etheridge, John Prine, Tom Rush, Electric Light Orchestra and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jerry Jeff Walker

Perhaps best known for writing Mr. Bojangles, Jerry Jeff Walker was so much more than that. Along with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and others, he was one of the pioneers of the outlaw country sound. I remember seeing him years ago at the old Harvard Square Theater in Cambridge as the opening act for Little Feat. I was hooked and have been ever since.

This live performance was a warm-up for his Ragged Glory Tour. This two-hour performance includes three sets and an encore, by one of the greatest singer-songwriters of his generation who keeps on keeping on.

The Weekend Begins With The Sixties Rotation, Linda Ronstadt, and The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Saturday, March 30, 2024

Good morning, weekenders and welcome to The Mermaid Lounge where we give you our ‘Original Sixties Rotation’ to start, followed by Heart Like A Wheel, and closing with The Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Nothing like The Sixties from a musical perspective, and we’ve got the early-to-mid portion of the decade this morning with The Beatles, The Monkees, Simon & Garfunkel, Sonny & Cher, The Everly Brothers, The Searchers, The Drifters, Dusty Springfield, The Dave Clark Five, Johnny Rivers, Bob Dylan, The Animals, Petula Clark, The Rolling Stones, Procol Harum, The Turtles, Del Shannon, The Temptations, James Brown, Fontella Bass, The Box Tops, Them, The Left Banke and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Heart Like A Wheel by Linda Ronstadt FINAL FINAL!

Today we not only say farewell to a brilliant album but also to our Album of The Week features, which has been in place for five years. Time to move on, but we will be featuring albums as part of our standard rotation.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Tedeschi Trucks Band

What we have here is the best damned blues-rock and on the planet led by a brilliant blues singer in Susan Tedeschi, and the best blues-rock guitarist in the business in Derek Trucks.

The weekend is here, people and we are geared up for a great weekend of music as we make several programming changes. But there are things that never change: We never charge for our musical programming, and we don’t ask for your personal information. We’re all about the music, not making money.

We Head Toward The Weekend With Our House EP, Lucinda Williams & Linda Ronstadt, Thursday, March 28, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! Remember that great Heartbreakers song, It’s Raining Again? Well, it is here in Boston. But we’ve got our great House EP and a couple of amazing ladies to get us through today.

Here’s Thursday’s lineup:

9:00 a.m. The #BecomeUngovernable House Playlist: Various Artists

All the music that inspired the station. You’ll hear Barry McGuire, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Peter Tosh, The Beatles, 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, Plastic Ono Band, 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 Seeger, The Band, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt and more!

4:00 p.m. Lucinda Williams Live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, November 20-22, 2003

We’ve got a live one from the woman whom Tom Petty called one of the greatest songwriters ever, and he should know because he’s one as well. This one is live from the fabled Fillmore.

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Heart Like A Wheel by Linda Ronstadt

We’re winding down on this magical album and on the AOW feature itself. The final performance will be sometime on Saturday.

We’re here rain or shine, folks, playing the greatest music on planet earth at no charge and with no commercial advertising to break up the flow. We’re streaming and dreaming.

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:

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.

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:

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.