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 ‘Ode To Morning,’ a Carole King Spotlight, and a Steve Winwood History Lesson on Thursday, May 23, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to the downslide to the weekend! We’re moving through this day in fine style with some great music.

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

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

Yesterday we started out with songs about the night. Today, we get it right with 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 Carole King

From her days as a songwriter in the famed Brill Building to this very day, Carole King has been a force in the music world. A true legend in her time.

8:00 p.m. Traffic, Blind Faith, Spencer Davis Group Super Jam

Or, Steve Winwood 1.0. We close out the programming with another musical legend.

The weather is beginning to cool a bit, and that’s just fine with me. May is a bit too early for 90 degrees. Nevertheless, we are here in The Mermaid Lounge for your listening pleasure, where the music is hot but the atmosphere is cool.

Midweek Brings ‘Here Comes The Night,’ a New Patty Griffin Spotlight and Ringo’s Best Drumming, Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We’re in a heat wave here this week, both outside and inside The Lounge! We start the morning off with songs about the night!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

Songs about night in the morning brings the music of Warren Zevon, J. Geils Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Them, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Patti Smith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, The Kinks, Electric Prunes, Phoebe Snow, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, The Ronettes, John Cougar Mellencamp, The Doors, Poco, Emmylou Harris, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, Steve Winwood and more!

Patty Griffin is a quite accomplished singer, songwriter and musician whose music has been recorded by many musical artists over the years, yet fame has eluded her. She is not alone, but she has found a home here in The Mermaid Lounge and her music has also been added to our standard rotation.

8:00 p.m. The Beatles: Ringo’s Best Drumming Performances

Ringo Starr isn’t just a drummer, he’s actually a percussionist. While some have brushed off his drumming talents, we suggest that these critics are obsessed with drum solos that break up the mood of the song. That’s not Ringo. And his peers, like Dave Grohl, Stuart Copeland and Tre Cool know how inspirational his style has been over the years. In short, just as McCartney doesn’t play the bass like everyone else, Ringo has his own drumming style, sound and approach, and it has greatly enriched the Beatles music by giving every song just what it needs. Tonight we have his best performances.

Tuesday Bluesday Returns With ‘Best of Louisiana Blues’, Muddy & The Stones, and Live John Mayall, May 21, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday. We’ve got a great blues program lined up starting off in Looosiana!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We head down to Louisiana where the music is as good as the food. 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. Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones Live at The Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago, IL, November 22, 1981

We’ve got a live interlude this afternoon with Muddy Waters and The Stones live from the Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago.

7:00 p.m. John Mayall Live at Leicester Square Theatre, London, UK, November 1, 2010

We’ve got yet another live performance lined up to close out the programming with the great John Mayall, who is officially now retired from the road, in London.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday and the perfect day to check us out. We’re on 24/7. We’re totally free. And we play absolutely no commercials. Ever.

It’s Sunday In The Lounge With ‘The Original Sixties’ Rotation, The Byrds, and Van Morrison, May 19, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! This is a sixties trifecta today and that’s always a good thing. While Van the Man’s live performance wasn’t until the 70’s, let’s remember he started out with a British blues band called Them and hasn’t stopped since.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

This would primarily be the early-to-mid phase of the decade, although we all know some later acts have slipped in here (and vice versa when we get to volume two). You will hear The Beatles, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, 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, James Brown, The Temptations, Del Shannon, Fontella Bass, The Box Tops, Blues Image, Booker T. & The MG’s, The Four Tops and more!

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

Formed in L.A. in 1964, The Byrds remain a musical stalwart today. Their lineup has changed over the years, with Roger McGuinn being the only consistent member, In spite of that, they made their mark with McGuinn’s jangly 12-string Rickenbacker guitar and their signature harmony vocals, influencing many subsequent acts including Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Today they are In The Spotlight.

8:00 p.m. Van Morrison Live at The Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ, October 6, 1979

Van Morrison joins us this evening in The Lounge for a very pleasant interlude of live music.

I am on the run once again this morning, but The Music Mermaid is always here and on duty. She’ll take care of you until I return. As always, we remain free of charge and free of commercial interruptions. Enjoy your day of rest!

It’s Saturday and We’re in Laurel Canyon, Elvis is In The Spotlight, and Emmylou Harris is Live Later, May 18, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We have hit the weekend and we’ve got a great Saturday lineup for you today.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

We’re back in Laurel Canyon today where two generations of music helped create the country-rock sound, among other things. You’ll hear The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Stephen Stills & Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Elvis Presley

The King is in The Mermaid Lounge this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & Spyboy Live at Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland, January 20, 1997

A great performance by a woman who is not shy about shifting gears and making change. This was the band she put together to take her career-redefining album Wrecking Ball on the road. If you haven’t heard the album, you must.

I’m on the road early this morning on a mission of mercy, but The Music Mermaid has this under control. Talk to you all tomorrow!

We’re In A Colorful Mood With a Nina Simone Spotlight and Some ‘Live’ Heartbreakers, Thursday, May 16, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to the downslide to the weekend. Today we begin with the ‘Color My World’ multi-artist EP, get into some Nina Simone and then Tom Petty and the band are live from Lucca, Italy.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We open up with Open Stream with a Theme; that’s how we view our EP’s. You’ll hear The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Donovan, Booker T. & The MGs, 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 Nina Simone

Was there anything Nina Simone could not do? She was a singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger and civil rights activist. Her style encompassed many genres, including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R & B and pop. Today she’s in our Spotlight.

7:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Piazza Napoleone, Lucca, Italy, June 29, 2012

We go back to 2012 for this great Heartbreakers show from Lucca, Italy.

Once again, the mantra: We’re here 24/7 at no cost to the listening public (and we’re worldwide) and with no interruptions from commercial advertising. Nope. The button’s below.

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’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.

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

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!

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’.