Tag: In The Spotlight

It’s a Soul Music Fest on Mother’s Day With ‘M is For Motown’, ‘Live’ James Brown, and Bill Withers, Sunday, May 12, 2024

Good morning, soul music lovers! We celebrate Mother’s Day with a little bit of soul in our programming today, starting with ‘M is For Motown’.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. M is For Motown: Various Artists

We kick it off with our tribute to Motown with Barrett Strong, Eddie Kendricks, Eddie Holland, Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson Five, Kim Weston, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, The Temptations, The Contours, Rare Earth, Mary Wells, Tammi Terrell, Diana Ross & The Supremes and more!

4:00 p.m. James Brown Live at The House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV, June 13, 1999

The hardest working man in showbiz takes the stage this afternoon live from The House of Blues in Vegas.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Bill Withers

In comparison to other artists, singer-songwriter Bill Withers career in music was short, spanning only 18 years, but he had an amazing impact on music during that time, winning three Grammy awards and being nominated for six more. He also had a string of great hits including Lean On Me, Just The Two of Us, and Ain’t No Sunshine. He is a Mermaid Lounge favorite and he’s In the Spotlight this evening.

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone, because everyone is essentially a mother. Kick off those shoes, sit back and listen to some great music today. We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free of charge and free of advertising!

Happy Mother’s Day!

‘Are You Ready for The Country’, a Guy Clark Spotlight and ‘Live’ Lukas Nelson & POTR on Saturday, May 11, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We keep it on the country side today with our programming, both old school and country-rock, that great sound out of Laurel Canyon.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Another EP out of mothballs this morning as we pay homage to the old standards and the country rockers with The Eagles, Asleep at The Wheel, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, 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, John Prine, Tom Rush, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Guy Clark

Surely one of the absolute best country singer-songwriters ever. I know I’ve told this story before, but one dreadfully snowy night my friend George and I were walking around Harvard Square freezing when we decided to go into a place called Passim’s Coffee House to warm up. We had no idea who Guy Clark was, but we paid the cover charge and went inside. It was undoubtedly one of the best things I ever did in my life. I was totally hooked. And he played a mean fiddle to boot.

8:00 p.m. Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real Live at The Boathouse, Newport News, VA, June 14, 2018

We close out the country programming with Lukas Nelson and his great little band. Lukas comes from great country outlaw pedigree, so it’s no wonder we love him here in The Mermaid Lounge.

We’re here 24/7 for your listening pleasure, at absolutely no charge to you and with absolutely no commercial interruption. Ever. Just an occasional station I.D. bit courtesy of yours truly. That’s it. The button’s below.

Are You Ready?

Yeah, It’s Friday. And ‘It’s About Time’ Indeed, Along With a Paul Simon Spotlight and Live Neil Young & Crazy Horse, May 10, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! Welcome to Friday in The Mermaid Lounge where we break out our ‘It’s About Time’ playlist, and that’s just for starters!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. It’s About Time: Various Artists

We’re breaking this out of mothballs; almost forgot we had made it. Time is relative, at least to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Guess Who, The Doors, the J. Geils Band, Joni Mitchell, Little Feat, Canned Heat, Paul Simon, Talking Heads, Nina Simone, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, J. J. Cale, Linda Ronstadt, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Eagles, Valerie Carter, The Byrds and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Paul Simon

Paul Simon is one of the most incredible singer-songwriters of all time, over a sixty-year career both as part of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. We put him In The Spotlight where he belongs this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live at The Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA, October 22, 1978

Neil and his favorite back-up band, Crazy Horse, on the original Cortez The Killer tour. He is indeed back with Crazy Horse on his 2024 tour and they are back on Cortez The Killer, debuting a never-before-heard ‘lost verse.’ Neil Young is a musical legend and still killing it on the road like The Energizer Bunny.

We’re here with the music 24/7 at no charge to the public and with absolutely no commercial advertising. We are all about the music.

Friday Has Arrived!

Thursday Brings Our ‘British Are Coming’ EP, Blind Faith Live in ’69 and a Jeff Lynne’s ELO Spotlight, May 9, 2024

Good morning, music lovers, and Thursday shall be decreed British origin. Our programs are dedicated to songs from across the pond and British artists!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

I remember the British Invasion well because it began with The Beatles, of course. And it was a blast! You’ll hear The Beatles, The Who, Dave Mason, ELO, 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, Them, Herman’s Hermits, The Rolling Stones, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Badfinger, The Yardbirds, Traffic, Elton John, Lulu, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Animals, Cream, Donovan, The Searchers, The Spencer Davis Group and more!

4:00 p.m. Blind Faith Live at The Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA, August 16, 1969

We’re back in The Wayback Machine this afternoon for an oldie with Blind Faith.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: Jeff Lynne’s ELO

Otherwise known as Electric Light Orchestra, a fine band indeed. And any guy who became a Traveling Wilbury is just fine by me. They’ve been busy on their farewell tour this year and they’ll be blowing through Boston in September. It’s a good time to put them In The Spotlight!

We’re edging toward the weekend once again, my good friends. We’re still totally free and devoid of commercial advertising. We’re all about the music.

The British Are Coming!

It’s ‘Ladies Sing The Blues,’ Susan Tedeschi and Big Mama & Muddy In Session, on Tuesday Bluesday, May 7, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists, and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday here in The Lounge, where the blues are great and the living is not always easy, but hey.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Sing The Blues: Various Artists

We kick it off with the ladies of the blues, including Billie Holliday, Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Koko Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Marcia Ball, Ellen McIlwaine, Susan Tedeschi, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, Shawn Murphy, Angela Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Susan Tedeschi

This afternoon it’s Boston original Susan Tedeschi, solo artist and one of the leaders of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, In The Spotlight.

7:00 p.m. Big Mama Thornton and The Muddy Waters Blues Band In Session at Coast Recorders, San Francisco, CA, April 25, 1966

We jump into the Wayback Machine to close out Tuesday Bluesday with Big Mama and Muddy live together at Coast Recorders.

Tuesday Bluesday is now in its sixth year here in The Mermaid Lounge and is always one of our most popular days, so give it a listen. We’re on 24/7, we’re totally free of charge, and devoid of commercial advertising. We’re radio the way it was meant to be.

Tuesday Bluesday!

Saturday Brings ‘In Your Dreams,’ Jackson Browne and Laura Nyro Continues Our Fillmore Week, May 4, 2024

Good morning, weekenders! We’re back for another weekend and we’ve got some great music on tap for you today, starting with our ‘In Your Dreams’ EP.

‘In Your Dreams’ begins at 9:00 a.m.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Who knew there were so many songs about dreams? Well, there are. And we didn’t even included all of them. 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, Roy Orbison, Harry Chapin, 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 Jackson Browne

The Prince of L.A. (I forget who called him that) is In The Spotlight today. He is, without a doubt, one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation.

8:00 p.m. Laura Nyro Live at The Fillmore East, New York, NY, March 30, 1971

Speaking of brilliant singer-songwriters, here’s one who left the planet far too soon. Her music, however, lives on.

We’re here 24/7 at no charge to the listening public. And no. There isn’t any commercial advertising either. We’re all about the music.

Join The Dream State

The Byrds at The Fillmore, Volume Two of ‘Repeat After Me’ and Toots & The Maytals Are All On Tap, Friday, May 3, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We continue on with Fillmore Week, give you volume two of ‘Repeat After Me’ and a Toots & The Maytals Spotlight feature.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Repeat After Me, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’ve got volume two on tap with Joe Cocker covering The Box Tops, Kate Taylor covering The Four Tops, The Traveling Wilburys covering Del Shannon, Johnny Winter covering Bob Dylan, The Who covering Eddie Cochran, and more. You get the drill.

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Toots & The Maytals

I sometimes feel that Toots Hibbert gets short shrift in the world or Reggae, but the Maytals were around from the early sixties and were instrumental in helping to push Reggae into the consciousness of the mainstream music lover.

8:00 p.m. FILLMORE WEEK! The Byrds Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, February 7-8, 1969

One of the most iconic bands in all of music (imo) is on tap for this evening in a Fillmore performance as we continue on Fillmore Week.

In fact, we’re making Fillmore Week eight days a week so that we can get our final entry in on Monday. But that’s for us to know and for you to find out. That means you’ll just have to listen and stay engaged. The button’s below.

Fillmore Week Continues!

We’re Hitting Our Midweek Stride With The #BU House EP, a Dolly Parton ‘Spotlight’ and The Heartbreakers at The Fillmore, Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Good morning, global music lovers! We blast into another month with our House long player, Dolly In The Spotlight and The Heartbreakers continue Fillmore Week!

Here’s your midweek music:

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

We start it off with an uninterrupted love fest of the music and artists that inspired this station, including 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 Experience, Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Pete Seeger, The Band, Linda Ronstadt, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Dolly Parton

The country music legend gets her own Spotlight. You’d better believe it. In a career that has spanned half a century, she remains the brightest of lights.

8:00 p.m. FILLMORE WEEK! Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, March 15, 1999

This is not the incredible 1997 twenty-night residency, but it is nevertheless another great Fillmore experience from one of our House Bands and one of the finest live bands ever to grace a stage. By the way, the incredible 1997 Fillmore event will come at the end of this Fillmore Fest.

Great day to be here in The Lounge while I toil in hardware hell’s Truck Day. The Music Mermaid has it all under her fin. You’re good to go. So, join us.

Midweek Madness!

We End the Month On Tuesday Bluesday with EC & Friends, Paul Butterfield and Koko Taylor, April 30, 2024

Morning, bluesologists! We’re closing out April and heading toward May on a Tuesday Bluesday. The house is already filling up.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Eric Clapton & Friends: The Crossroads Festival Revisited

Guitar festival for sure, but also a blues festival with a lineup that includes Gary Clark, Jr., B. B. King, J. J. Cale, Doyle Bramhall III, Jeff Beck, the Robert Cray Band, Susan Tedeschi and more!

4:00 p.m. FILLMORE WEEK! The Paul Butterfield Blues Band Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, October 14, 1966

An iconic blues band in an iconic venue, and vintage 1966, worthy of a trip in the Wayback Machine.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Koko Taylor

The woman known as The Queen of The Blues closes out our programming this evening. Her potent style encompasses the Chicago blues, electric blues, soul blues and a touch of R & B for good measure.

Always a good day to drop by The Mermaid Lounge. There’s no cover charge and we don’t want any of your personal information either. See for yourself.

Tuesday Bluesday!

It’s Sunday and The Ladies Own the Morning, Followed by The I-Threes and Some ‘Live’ ELO, April 28, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to another Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge where the music is free and the living is easy. The ladies rule the morning and early afternoon.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

The ladies are back to rule The Lounge this morning with Linda Ronstadt, 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, Nicolette Larson, Sheryl Crow, Susan Tedeschi, Dusty Springfield, Valerie Carter, Dolly Parton and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The I-Threes

Without a doubt the most influential all-woman Reggae band is In The Spotlight this afternoon. The I-Threes are Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt.

8:00 p.m. The Electric Light Orchestra Live at The Paris Theatre, London, UK, April 19, 1973

Jeff Lynne’s ELO (not what they were called back in the day; but it is now) is here to close out the programming for today with a great live show at The Paris Theatre. They are on the road now for their farewell tour, and blow through Boston in September.

Join us on this fine, sunny Sunday (at least it is here for the moment) as we play the best music on the planet 24/7, free of charge and free from commercial advertising.

Sunday Funday!