On Sunday It’s ‘The Founders,’ a New Playlist Called ‘Ladies of The Canyon,’ and a Beach Boys ‘Spotlight’ In Memory of the Brilliant Brian Wilson, June 15, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! We’ve got a huge day today as we expand our women’s playlist collection, and pay tribute to one of the most incredible songwriters in pop music history as we pay tribute to Brian Wilson.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Founders: Various Artists

We take a trip in The Wayback Machine to pay homage to the innovators and pioneers of rock and roll, including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & His Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, and more!

While working on ‘Festival Week’ recently, I found some info on social media and someone asked if these three were ‘friends.’ Turns out, they were. In fact all three ladies spent time in Laurel Canyon perfecting their craft. That’s when I decided I’d make this playlist and call it ‘Ladies of The Canyon,’ which also happens to be the name of a Joni Mitchell album.

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

Suffice it to say that Brian Wilson was the genius and force behind The Beach Boys, a man with incredible musical vision and compositional skills. For me, and for many others, Pet Sounds was the moment when we realized his genius. However, when I went back after hearing Pet Sounds, I realized it didn’t start there. It certainly didn’t end there either. Brian Wilson passed on last week, and today we pay him tribute.

‘No Kings’ was massive, invigorating, and inspiring yesterday. We cannot let up. However, today I’m rejuvenating myself with some music as we prepare for the next round of the fight. We’re here 24/7. We’re totally free. We’re without commercial interruption. We play the best damned music on the planet. The button is below.

We Begin a New Month on Open Stream Day with Trifectas, and the Final Airing of Brian Wilson as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter, September 1, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We begin the fall with a day of Open Stream with Trifectas. That means we start each hour with three-in-a-row from a chosen artist. No hints.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Open Stream with Trifectas: Various Artists

Today from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. we’ll be on Open Stream and starting each hour with three-in-a-row from The Beatles, Emmylou Harris, Marcia Ball, Jeff Lynne, Little Feat, Marvin Gaye, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and more!

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Brian Wilson FINAL AIRING!

Tonight Brian Wilson takes his final spin as our featured singer-songwriter for this week. Tomorrow, we’ll introduce a brand new artist in this slot.

We’re here 24/7 at no charge and with no commercial interruption. Get on board! You won’t regret it!

We’re at Midweek With Our ‘Water, Water Everywhere’ EP, Brian Wilson as Our Singer-Songwriter and Ellen McIlwaine In the Spotlight, Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Good morning, musicologists. Are you aware of the fact that the earth is 71% water? I know I’ve hammered that one home before. Be that as it may, it is only fitting that we have a playlist dedicated to water.

Here’s your midweek music:

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

Music about water in all its forms from Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Ois 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, Steely Dan, Tom Rush, Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson gets his second airing as our featured singer-songwriter, primarily for his work as co-founder of The Beach Boys.

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

Ellen McIlwaine had it all but, for some reason, fame eluded her. Yet she left behind a serious body of blues work, including talents that earned her the nickname ‘The Godess of Slide Guitar.” Drop in and give her a listen this evening.

We’re on 24/7 at no charge to you and with no commercial advertising interruption. That’s because we don’t accept any commercial advertising. Drop by and see for yourselves.

Tuesday Bluesday Brings a Delbert McClinton Spotlight and The Blues Project ‘Live’ in Central Park, August 29, 2023

Good morning, global bluesologists and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday here. Today we’ve got Delbert McClinton and The Blues Project on tap for opening and closing with our AOW in between.

Here’s today’s musical menagerie:

9:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Delbert McClinton

Delbert McClinton is a legend in Texas roots music. Primarily known as a blues and electric blues artist, singer, songwriter, harmonica player, piano player, Delbert McClinton knows how to combine country, blues, soul and rock n’ roll seamlessly into his own sound, as if there is no distinction between any of those genres. Listen up and listen in.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys

This is the second airing of this great mindbending album, certainly one of the most influential albums of its time.

7:00 p.m. The Blues Project Reunion in Central Park, New York, October 24, 1973

Join us tonight as we close out Tuesday Bluesday with some live music from The Blues Project from Central Park.

Tuesday Bluesday is always a busy Lounge day and today is no exception, so jump on in and have yourself a great music day with the rest of us! We’re on 24/7 totally free of charge and free of commercial interruption.

Saturday Delivers Our House EP, the Final Airing of Our AOW, and Brian Wilson, the New Singer-Songwriter, August 26, 2023

Good morning, music lovers everywhere! It’s time for the weekenders in The Lounge and we’re ready to kick things off in fine form today with our House EP!

Here’s today’s weekenders’ lineup:

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

The first few playlists we ever put together here were a bunch of smaller ones that we eventually wove into this masterpiece of the music that inspired the station. You’ll hear Barry McGuire, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Peter Tosh, The Beatles, Genesis, 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, George Harrison, 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, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, The Band and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: North South by Paul Butterfield Blues Band FINAL AIRING!

This is the farewell airing for this album. Tomorrow when you roll yourselves out of bed, we’ll have a brand new album for you.

Brian Wilson is considered a genius in songwriting circles for many reasons, one of which is his novel approaches to pop music composition. There is absolutely no doubt that he is one of the most innovative and influential songwriters of his generation. He also happens to be the co-founder of The Beach Boys, and that is certainly what he is best known for. Today we pay him respects as both because you wouldn’t have one without the other.

Getting a Jump On The Day At The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/23/2020

It’s getting closer and closer to Christmas. The shorter the time gets, the nastier the shoppers get. The pressure’s on to make sure they buy enough, or just the right thing, or whatever the fuck. Give it up.

The first transistor radios. Undoubtedly, man’s finest invention.

Here’s today’s musical lesson:

December 23, 1947: Three scientists from Bell Labs in New Jersey demonstrate the transistor, which leads to the invention of small, portable transistor radios. They would win the Nobel Prize for their work in 1956.

December 23, 1957: A new act called Tom & Jerry appear on the chart for the first time with their new song Hey Schoolgirl. They were just sixteen years old. Today, we know them as Simon & Garfunkel, and they have sold 105 million albums.

December 23, 1961: The Marvelettes spent their sixth week at #1 on the R & B chart with Please Mr. Postman.

Also on December 23, the Beach Boys make their live debut, performing two songs during intermission of surf guitarist Dick Dale’s concert at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Newport Beach, California.

December 23, 1962: Bob Dylan did a show at the King and Queen Pub in London.

December 23, 1963: Lesley Gore released the single, You Don’t Own Me.

December 23, 1964: Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys suffered a breakdown on a flight from LA to Houston. As a result, he decided to retire from performing live, in spite of the fact that their Beach Boys Concert was #1 at the time. Glen Campbell was a temporary replacement for Wilson, until Bruce Johnston joined the group.

December 23, 1966: London’s premier psychedelic hangout, The UFO Club, opens on Tottenham Court, with Pink Floyd as the house band.

December 23, 1969: Elton John met with Bernie Taupin for the first time, along with arranger Paul Buckmaster, and producer Gus Didgeon, to begin work on his first (and best, in my opinion) album.

December 23, 1970: Joni Mitchell earned her first Gold with her third album, Ladies of The Canyon.

December 23, 1972: The Moody Blues had another big album with Seventh Sojurn, which spent a third week at #1.

Born On This Day

December 23, 1940: Jorma Kaukonen, guitarist with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, was born in Washington, D.C.

December 23, 1941: Folk musician Tim Hardin, who wrote If I Were A Carpenter, was born in Eugene, Oregon.

December 23, 1946: Ariel Bender, guitarist for Mott The Hoople, was born in Evesham, Worcestershire, England.

December 23, 1964: Eddie Vedder, lead singer, guiarist, and songwriter of Pearl Jam, was born in Evanston, Illinois.

And that’s it for today’s lesson!