On Wednesday, It’s Volume Two of ‘Badass Guitarists,’ the ‘Are You Ready for The Country’ EP, and Live Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers, October 8, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got a great lineup today starting out with volume two of our ‘Badass Guitarists’ playlist!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. Badass Guitarists, Volume Two: Various Artists

You may never hear these folks sing during this playlist, but you’ll know they are there! We feature the artistry of Albert King, George Harrison, Duane Allman, Lowell George, Brian May, Dickie Betts, Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, Andrew Gold, Walter Becker, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Mike Campbell, and more in this playlist!

1:00 p.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

We take you through the afternoon with real country music (not bad pop bands with fiddles), and the legends of country-rock: The Eagles, Asleep at The Wheel, Hank Williams, The Byrds, Patsy Cline, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Poco, Linda Ronstadt, Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Jerry Jeff Walker, NRPS, Carlene Carter, Rosanne Cash, The Desert Rose Band, Kris Kristofferson Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, The Highwaymen, John Prine, and more!

8:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Live at The Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville, TN, September 28, 1990

Billed as “the lost concert,” this one came as a tune-up for their legendary performance at the old Ryman which literally was the impetus for saving the former home of The Grand Ole Opry.

We’re here ’round the clock. We’re free. We don’t run any commercial advertising. We keep our mouths shut. You’re here for the music, and so are we. Just hit the button below.

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.

At Midweek It’s ‘The Founders,’ Live Bonnie Raitt, and a Buddy Holly ‘Spotlight’ Feature, On Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to the midweek! Today we start by paying tribute to the pioneers of rock and roll, the founding fathers and mothers!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

We start off the day with the musicians who made it all possible, 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!

4:00 p.m. Bonnie Raitt Live at The Troubadour, W. Hollywood, CA, February 15, 1972

This afternoon, we’ve got some early Bonnie Raitt at an iconic musical location where many of her generation graced the stage early in their careers.

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

Speaking of rock and roll pioneers, we close with a singer-songwriter whose music influenced so many musicians, including The Beatles.

We’re here and we’re totally free. We run no advertising. We ask for no personal information. Before, in between, and after our programming, we run our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs. Just hit the button below.

On Sunday, It’s Eva Cassidy Live at Pearl’s, ‘Are You Ready For The Country,’ and a Dr. John ‘Spotlight’ Feature, September 7, 2025

It’s Sunday Funday here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we’ve got a fine eclectic programming lineup for you today, starting off with Eva Cassidy!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Eva Cassidy Live at Pear’s Restaurant, Annapolis, MD, September 14, 1994

Eva Cassidy was an amazing singer who left this planet far too soon. However, she left behind a great body of work that we continue to share today. She’s up first today at 10.

1:00 p.m. Are You Ready For The Country: Various Artists

It’s a little bit country and a little bit country-rock, with music from The Eagles, Asleep At the Wheel, Hank Williams, The Byrds, Patsy Cline, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Poco, Linda Ronstadt, Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Jerry Jeff Walker, Carlene Carter, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tom Rush, Townes Van Zandt, The Highwaymen, and more!

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

New Orleans very own nitetripper drops by this evening for a spell. The man is a legend, and certainly a Mermaid Lounge favorite!

We’re here 24/7 playing the best music on the planet, hands down. Before, in between, and after our programming we deliver our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs! See for yourselves. The button is below!

Thursday Brings ‘The Founders’ EP, a Bee Gees ‘Spotlight’, and Live Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers, On August 14, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We’re headed for the weekend once again, and we will help get you there with the best music on the planet!

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

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

We start off the day with the folks who helped to build what we call rock and roll. These are the pioneers, the founders, the innovators and the playlist includes 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, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, and more!

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

Yes, the Bee Gees who started out as one of the most innovative rock bands on the planet before drifting into sell-out disco stardom. We skip the entire disco thing here. After Saturday Night Fever, it was all downhill. They are the Jekyll & Hyde band of rock music. However, before Saturday Night Fever, they were fantastic.

8:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Live at The Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, April 30-May 2, 1991

When I was young, my friend and I took to the road and headed off to see The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Our parents were in a panic because we were do young and hitting the road with no actual experience and probably not enough money. We saw the show at The Ryman. In 1991, Emmylou Harris and her newly-formed acoustic band showed up and was literally the impetus for the Ryman, then run-down and no longer the home of the Opry, for the Ryman’s restoration and rebirth. It reopened to a new generation of musicians in 1994.

We’re here 24/7 with no commercial interruption and no disc jockeys who talk through the beginning and endings of songs. No lie. Best of all, we’re totally free. The button is below.

Sunday It’s Live John Hiatt in Between ‘The Founders’ EP, and a Little Richard ‘Spotlight’ Feature, On July 13, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to The Mermaid Lounge. Today we jump into action with the artists who pioneered rock and roll, as well as rock and roll icon Little Richard. In between, it’s a bit of live John Hiatt.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Rock and roll was born of the blues and country music, pioneered by artists like 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! You’ll hear them all today.

4:00 p.m. John Hiatt Live at The Bottom Line, New York, NY, October 7, 1988

This afternoon we feature an underappreciated artist, a man called a songwriter’s songwriter. He is a Nashville hall of famer and his music has been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Bruce Springsteen and many more. Give him a listen this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Little Richard

There’s not enough we can say about Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard. He was like a stick of dynamite who laid the foundation for rock and roll. This incredible singer, songwriter and pianist influenced the music and culture of America for seven decades. We put him squarely ‘In the Spotlight’ this evening.

It’s Sunday and it’s a day of rest. Sit back and enjoy the best music on the planet. We’ve got it. What we don’t have is commercial advertising or DJ’s who chat endlessly. See for yourselves. The button is below.

It’s All About Country With Our EP, Then the Marshall Tucker Band, and Live Townes Van Zandt on Saturday, July 5, 2025

When we say ‘country’ here in The Mermaid Lounge we mean real country (Cash, Nelson, Walker, Williams, Parton, Cline et al.) and the legends of country-rock. So, that’s where we are today.

Here’s your Saturday musical lineup:

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

You’ll hear The Eagles, Asleep At the Wheel, Hank Williams, The Byrds, Patsy Cline, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, 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, Tom Rush, John Prine, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, The Highwaymen and more!

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

I liked these guys from the very first time I ever heard them, and I saw them live a few times over the years. We’ll hear from them this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Townes Van Zandt Live at The Jester Lounge, Houston, TX, Sometime in 1966

Another of those events where we can’t find a definite date, but it is believe that this is one of the first times Townes Van Zandt was recorded live at a commercial establishment. The man was a mess of a human being (not in a bad way, but in an unfortunate way), but that didn’t stop him from being a songwriting genius who inspired those who came after him (just ask Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, and Nanci Griffith).

And that’s where we are today on July 5. We hope you’ll give us a listen. There’s no need to sign up for anything or provide any information. Just use the button below.

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.

Saturday Delivers Our Big Country EP, an Elvis Presely ‘Spotlight’ Feature, and The Beatles at Budokan, On June 7, 2025

Good morning, weekenders! We’ve got a great lineup today, including our big country and country-rock EP, The King in a ‘Spotlight’ feature, and The Fab Four live at Budokan!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Are You Ready For the Country: Various Artists

This is the real deal. None of that fake country shit. You won’t be hearing Jason Aldean here. Ever. But you will hear the real country greats and the pioneers of country-rock, like The Eagles, Asleep at The Wheel, Hank Williams, The Byrds, Patsy Cline, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, 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, Grm Parsons, John Prine, Tom Rush, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, The Highwaymen and more!

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

Rock and roll had plenty of pioneers, but there was one king. And this is him. He made the genre accessible to everyone. You know, George Harrison said a very poignant thing about Elvis. He said that at least he had John, Paul and Ringo to go through those times with because it was daunting. He felt bad for Elvis because it was just Elvis all alone. This is not George saying this now, but me: Elvis was just a country boy and he was naive in his early years. The Colonel, his father and manager, was someone who took advantage of him, and many around him did also. George Harrison was right.

The Beatles abandoned touring early, but remember that the Beatles accomplished all they did in just eight years. Had they not gotten off the road, they may never have been The Beatles we know and love. Concerts in those days were not hours long, and this one is no exception. But we’ve managed to avail ourselves of several concerts from The Fab Four. More are coming. We’re just starting with this one.

The weekend is here, and the bromance is over. We’ll have to endure the infighting between the two worst men on the planet but, here in The Mermaid Lounge, you can tune that all out and enjoy yourself. The Orange Menace will be golfing. He sucks at that too. Meanwhile, the button is below.

We’re at Midweek With ‘The Founders’, a James Taylor ‘Spotlight’, and The Pretenders Live in Germany, Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to midweek. We start out with the founders of rock and roll, then it’s a JT ‘Spotlight’ feature and some live Pretenders!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

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

We start our musical journey in the Wayback Machine as we pay respect to those who started it all, 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!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of James Taylor

Sweet Baby James visits us this afternoon, a singer-songwriting legend whose volume of work speaks for itself.

8:00 p.m. The Pretenders Live at Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, Germany, June 23, 2009

We close it out with a live performance from The Pretenders, a band that has literally been in flux for decades with the only constant being the amazing Chrissie Hynde.

We’re at midweek and that means that tomorrow we’ll be on the downslide to the weekend, the only time we can sort of catch our breath under this misbegotten fascist regime. Music can help us get through this, and we remain free of charge and broadcasting 24/7. The button, my friends, is below.