Saturday It’s ‘Ode To Morning,’ the Final Airing of ELO’s AOW, and The Miracles In The Spotlight, February 17, 2024

Good morning, weekenders! It is here and we are loaded with great music today. We hope you get a chance to join us.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

We kick off the morning with songs about the morning. You’ll hear 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, Bob Dylan, Jonathan Edwards, Townes Van Zandt, Badfinger, Christ Hillman and more.

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Eldorado by Electric Light Orchestra FINAL AIRING!

We bid this album farewell today as we continue our journey through the albums turning 50 this year. Tomorrow, we’ll have a brand new album for you.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Tonight we feature the first successful band for Motown Records, led by one of the best singer-songwriters in the business, Smokey Robinson. There is no doubt that this band has stood the test of time.

As always, it’s a great day to tune us in. We’re here 24/7 and we’re totally free. We’re also totally free from commercial interruption. We’re all about the music.

On Friday It’s The Band ‘Live’ in Asbury Park, Elvis Costello, John Prine and Joni ‘Live’ in Cali, February 16, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We have a busy Friday on tap for you all today with a great collection of artists sprinkeled into our big, wide Open Stream.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Elvis Costello FINAL AIRING!

Elvis Costello takes his final turn as this week’s featured singer-songwriter. We’ll have a new artist for you on Monday.

12:00 p.m. The Band Live at The Casino Arena, Asbury Park, NJ, July 20, 1976

The Band is very simply one of the best ever bands on the popular music scene. They started as Bob Dylan’s back-up band and became one of the most influential musical entities of their time. If we added a new House Band, it would be these guys.

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of John Prine

We’re dusting this baby off as we have been remiss. Mr. Prine is one fine singer-songwriter and a man who is most respected by his peers. He always had a unique outlook on life and his wry and sometimes sarcastic viewpoints were part of his charm.

8:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA, September 9, 1979

We close things out by taking a trip back with Joni Mitchell to her 1979 Shadows and Light Tour. I was lucky enough to see that tour as it passed through Boston.

We have a great lineup today as we toy with expanding programming and, perhaps, even into the wee hours of the morning. It’s a work in progress. One thing that will not change, however, is the fact that we are totally free 24/7 with no commercial interruptions.

It’s a Busy Monday With ‘Working Songs’, Rickie Lee Jones, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello, February 12, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! I was a bit overexuberant last night and went off the ledge on scheduling today. (We’re actually exploring a bit of late-night programming for our overseas listeners!)

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Working Songs: Various Artists

Quite appropriate on a Monday morning as the work week begins. You’ll hear from The Staple Singers, Van Morrison, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Lennon, Slim Harpo, Neil Young, Jim Croce, Little Feat, Bob Dylan, Jesse Winchester, Maria Muldaur and more!

4:00 p.m.  In The Spotlight: The Music of Rickie Lee Jones

Over five decades this great singer-songwriter has recorded songs in a variety genres, including jazz, rock, pop, soul and R&B.

7:00 p.m.  Van Morrison Live at The Bottom Line, New York, NY, November 1, 1978

Van the Man is a staple around these parts. We haven’t heard him for a while, so we thought it was about time we break him out of mothballs.

Here we have another great Elvis, but it’s Costello. You can love him or hate him, but the man broke barriers and is a hell of a singer-songwriter. He’s one of the very few of his generation that I actually listen to.

Another Monday in paradise…at least for me since my “weekends” fall on Sunday-Monday. We’ve got some great music today and we’re toying with late-night programming. We’ll see how it goes. Our overnight listeners are generally outside the U.S. Give us a listen.

Midweek Brings Music From Britain, Harry Nilsson and a James Taylor Spotlight, On Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’re at midweek and everything is skidding toward the weekend after today! We’ve got a great lineup starting at 9:00 a.m.

Here’s the midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m.  The British Are Coming: Various Artists

Music from the British Invasion and beyond with The Beatles, The Who, Dave Mason, Electric Light Orchestra, Petula Clark, The Zombies, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, The Bee Gees, The Moody Blues, Rod Stewart, George Harrison, Them, Herman’s Hermits, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Badfinger, The Yardbirds, Traffic, Elton John, Lulu, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Animals, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Spencer Davis Group, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Donovan, The Searchers and more!

4:00 p.m.  Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Harry Nilsson

Harry’s back for another spin as our featured singer-songwriter.

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

James Taylor is the son of a “Down East Yankee” (as his mother describes herself) and a Down South doctor. Born in New England but raised in North Carolina, we here consider him a native New Englander as he returned to the region. More importantly, James Taylor is one of the most outstanding singer-songwriters of his generation who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Tonight he is in our Spotlight.

Let’s go, folks, Tune us in. Everything gets better from this day forward as we move closer to the weekend! Just click the button below.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday With The Allman Brothers, Elton John’s AOW, and Tracy Nelson, January 30, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists! We’ve got a great lineup today with Elton John being the one off-blues program. We open with The Allman Brothers Band and close with Tracy Nelson.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m.  The Allman Brothers Band Sing The Blues

We’ve got just over two hours of The Allman Brothers Band singing some traditional blues music, and it’s a thing of beauty. Today is Volume One; we’re working on scheduling Volume Two.

4:00 p.m.  Album of The Week: Caribou by Elton John

I will agree that this particular album may not have been up to the standards of what Elton John produced during the 70’s, but it’s a pretty damned good album nonetheless. This one holds a few of my favorite Elton songs of all time.

7:00 p.m.  In The Spotlight: The Music of Tracy Nelson

She’s a little bit country and a lot of blues. Tracy Nelson started off with a band called Mother Earth. I loved them. But over the span of a career that began in 1965, Tracy Nelson evolved into a pretty great blues singer and made more than 20 albums over that span.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday. Join us in The Mermaid Lounge, where it’s always jumping on this particular week day.

Today We Head Down to New Orleans, Then It’s Jefferson Airplane and Dan Fogelberg on Monday, January 29, 2024

Welcome to another work week, and we start it out with a trip to New Orleans, where the only thing as good as the food is the music. Then we put Jefferson Airplane In the Spotlight and introduce the underrated Dan Fogelberg as our featured singer-songwriter.

Here’s your Monday musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. Down In New Orleans: Various Artists

This is a great playlist. Not only do you get authentic New Orleans music, but you get music from artists who were born and raised there. You’ll hear Allen Toussaint, BeauSoleil, Clifton Chenier, Dr. John, Buckwheat Zydeco, Irma Thomas, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Aaron Neville, Allen Fontenot, Lucinda Williams, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Kermit Ruffins, Louis Armstrong, The Daywalkers, The Neville Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chance Bushman, The Boogaloo Swamis, Queen Ida & The Bontemps Zydeco Band, Marcia Ball, The Magnolia Sisters and more!

4:00 p.m.  In the Spotlight: The Jefferson Airplane

One of the anchor bands of the sixties, and the band that helped to advance and solidify the status of psychedelic music, led by the great Grace Slick

Dan Fogelberg was as important an artist to seventies music as anyone, yet he remains an outsider who has not been given his due. He belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame like many of his peers. There is even a petition campaign out there from his fans. Today we introduce him as this week’s featured singer-songwriter.

It’s Friday and We’ve Got ‘Paint It Black’, Delbert McClinton and Doris Troy On The Docket, January 26, 2024

Happy Friday, music lovers! We are on a Friday, and that means plenty of wide Open Stream from The Music Mermaid wrapped around this great programming.

Here’s your Friday Funday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Paint It Black: Various Artists

Time to crank this one up: Songs with the color black in the title, lyrics or both with The Rolling Stones (of course), The Beatles, The Move, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, James Brown, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, Them, Long John Baldry, Fairport Convention, Dr. John, The Kinks, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Laura Nyro, Jackson Browne, k.d. lang, Linda Ronstadt, Jethro Tull and more!

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

Delbert McClinton takes his final spin as this week’s featured singer-songwriter. On Monday, we will introduce another!

I’ll bet some people don’t even know her name, but they just might recognize her voice. She had one very big hit here in the U.S. called Just One Look, which she also co-wrote. But Doris Troy never found an artistic footing in the U.S. for some unnamed reason. She did, however, find her mojo in the UK where she found she was a favorite of a guy named George Harrison, who signed her to a contract with Apple Records. He even gave her an office with a piano at Apple Records, and she spent time writing music with George and Ringo. Give her a listen. You’ll like her.

The Ladies Open and Close the Programming Today; Kristofferson is the Mid. Saturday, January 20, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We essentially turn the lounge over to the ladies today, as ‘Ladies Day Out’ opens the day and the Queen of Soul closes it out later.

Here’s Saturday’s lineup:

9:00 a.m.  Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

We know that no other station plays women’s music like we do. That’s why we do it. You’ll hear five hours uninterrupted with Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, Nicollette Larson, Valerie Carter, Sheryl Crow, Susan Tedeschi, Dusty Springfield and more!

4:00 p.m.  Album of The Week: Jesus Was A Capricorn by Kris Kristofferson FINAL AIRING!

We say goodbye to this album today, but we’ll have another tomorrow. Programming Note: Tomorrow we begin a spell of great albums that will turn fifty years old in 2024. Only a few on this list have been aired as an AOW before, but it was quite a long time ago (we’ve been running this feature for five years now), so they will repeat. But I promise they’ll be like new.

8:00 p.m.  In The Spotlight: The Music of Aretha Franklin

The undisputed Queen of Soul was first noticed singing gospel in her father’s church. Over six decades, she would dominate the world of soul and R&B, with Rolling Stone twice calling her the greatest singer ever. She was the very first female inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Tonight we put Aretha In The Spotlight.

Well, weekenders, we’ve made it to Saturday. I have this one final day to go. My weekend is Sunday/Monday. However, fear not. The Music Mermaid is large and in charge here when I’m not around. You’re in safe fins.

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?

Monday is Back With ‘Under the Sun & Moon’, Chuck Berry, and Al Green as our Singer-Songwriter, January 15, 2024

Happy Monday, Workers! I hope you are remembering the accomplishments of a guy named Martin Luther King on this day. People on the right want to discredit King, but we know the truth and have to thwart that crap.

Here’s your Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Under the Sun & Moon: Various Artists

Today we start by breaking out a playlist we haven’t heard for a while, with Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt, Laura Nyro, America, The Animals, The Kinks, Gordon Lightfoot, Maria Muldaur, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tom Rush, Valerie Carter, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Little Feat, Bill Withers and more!

4:00 p.m.  In The Spotlight: The Music of Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry was a pioneer in the world of rock and roll, a man who influenced so many, including The Beatles, Linda Ronstadt and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Today we put his music In the Spotlight.

Tonight we introduce Al Green as our featured singer-songwriter. We’ve moved this intro to Mondays (as opposed to Saturdays) going forward.