Tag: Irma Thomas

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!

4:00 p.m. Santana Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, December 19-22, 1968 NEW!

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’.

We’re back at the beginning of another work week some of us need help getting us through that first day. Here we are. On 24/7. Totally free. And without commercial advertising.

Just Push Play

Welcome to Monday With Ray Charles and Our ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, April 22, 2024

Welcome to Monday, Monday. In between Ray Charles and our ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, we’ve got a bunch of great wide Open Stream to kick off the week.

Here’s Monday’s lineup:

10:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Ray Charles NEW!

This one has been a long time coming and it’s finally here. We kick off the program with a long-awaited Ray Charles spotlight. We have been remiss and we repent.

3:00 p.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

We move from Ray Charles into our big, bad soul and R&B EP, where you’ll hear more Ray Charles in addition to Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, 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, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

We are here 24/7 for your listening pleasure every single day of the year at no charge to you and with no commercial interruptions. We’re all about the music.

A Little Bit O’Soul

It’s Tuesday Bluesday With Some Louisiana Blues, a Taj Mahal Spotlight, and Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters and James Cotton Live, April 16, 2024

Good morning and welcome to a full-on Tuesday Bluesday here in The Mermaid Lounge. We’ve got some heavy hitters here today for you.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We start out down in Louisiana this morning with Ray Charles, Lillian Glinn, Slim Harpo, Roy 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 Water, 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. In the Spotlight: The Music of Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is a bluesman and amazing multi-instrumentalist who pushes the blues envelope by incorporating Caribbean and world music into his blues repertoire. Today we put his innovative approach to the blues In the Spotlight.

7:00 p.m. Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters & James Cotton Live at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA, March 6, 1977 NEW!

We’ve got some great new live blues from three masters of the craft, led by Mr. High Energy himself, Johnny Winter. It’s a great way to close out the programming.

We’re here all day long playing great music at no charge to you and without commercia advertising to mess up the flow. There’s no cover charge. Just hit the button below!

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

Friday Brings Vintage Joni Mitchell, a Musical Trip to New Orleans, and a Surprise Byrds Reunion, April 12, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We have made it to the end of the week once again and we’ve got a great lineup for y’all today starting with the one and only Joni.

Here’s your musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Club 47, Cambridge, MA, January 10, 1968

Time to jump into the Wayback Machine again for this one at the famous Club 47 in my hometown. It would morph into Passim’s Coffee House, where I would spend a good deal of time hearing great music in Harvard Square. Many have passed through here on their way to their heralded musical careers, like Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and Guy Clark. Then, there’s Joni Mitchell. And we’ve got that one today.

12:30 p.m. Down In New Orleans: Various Artists

Haven’t broken this one out in a while and it’s about damned time. We have authentic NOLA music mixed in with rock n’ roll artists who were born and raised there. You’ll hear BeauSoleil, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John. Buckwheat Zydeco, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Irma Thomas, Allen Fontenot, The Neville Brothers, Lucinda Williams, Boozoo Chavis, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Louis Armstrong, Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band, The Daywalkers, Jerry Lee Lewis and more!

8:00 p.m. The Byrds Live at The Boarding House, San Francisco, CA, February 9, 1978

Here’s the story on this great performance. Three of the Byrds’ founding members, Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark and Chris Hillman were touring the west coast, each playing a short solo set and then convening on stage for some vintage Byrds tunes. On this particular night, David Crosby joined them on stage for several tunes (I think it was 9 songs), making it the closest thing to a Byrds reunion as you can get. The only missing piece was drummer Michael Clarke. It’s here tonight.

We’ve got some great stuff on tap for today. Don’t know about the weather where you are but we’re at monsoon level today I hear. Lots of wind and rain. Great day to hunker down with some great tunes.

Down In New Orleans!

It’s The First Tuesday Bluesday of a New Month With ‘Ladies Sing The Blues,’ Buddy Guy and Janis Joplin, April 2, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists and welcome to Tuesday Bluesday! We’ve got more blues every Tuesday now and we’ve got some great plans moving forward!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

The ladies take over The Lounge this morning and into the afternoon. You’ll hear 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 Buddy Guy

Buddy Guy takes over the spot today that was once occupied by our AOW. Spend some time with a great blues guitarist and singer starting at 4:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m. Janis Joplin & The Kozmic Blues Band Live at The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands, April 11, 1969

We jump into the Wayback Machine for this one tonight as we go back to 1969 for a great Janis Joplin performance.

It’ll be a crowded house in The Mermaid Lounge today, but there is plenty of room for everyone. We’re here 24/7 totally free of charge. We don’t ask for credit cards or personal information, and we do not run commercial advertising. We’re all about the music.

Tuesday Bluesday!

We Begin Anew With Emmylou Harris, The Best of Reggae & SKA and Music From ‘The Queens’, Monday, April 1, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! It may be April Fool’s Day, but we’re not fooling around here in The Mermaid Lounge. After a day off from programming we’re back with some great programming selections!

Here’s your April Fools Day lineup:

10:00 a.m. Emmylou Harris With The Daniel Lanois Band Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK, November 23, 1995

On her eighteenth studio album, Wrecking Ball, Emmylou Harris moved away from her traditional acoustic sound to work with Daniel Lanois. I don’t need to write a trove of stuff here when you can read this great review from Pitchfork. We start the day with her live performance with The Daniel Lanois band in 1995. Hear it for yourself.

2:00 p.m. The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists

We will be expanding this soon, but for now it’s a pretty damned good playlist. You’ll hear Bob Marley & The Wailers, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Laurel Aitken, Derrick Morgan, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Judy Mowatt, Bunny Wailer, Rita Marley, The Rhythm Aces, Marcia Griffiths, the Jiving Juniors and more!

7:00 p.m. Long Live The Queens: Various Artists

Haven’t spun this one for a while, but we give you Koko Taylor (The Queen of The Blues), Aretha Franklin (The Queen of Soul), Irma Thomas (The Soul Queen of New Orleans), and Linda Ronstadt (The Queen of Rock) all in one very enjoyable playlist. Don’t miss it.

Time flies when you’re having fun, and we are having fun here in The Mermaid Lounge. It’s already April and we’re easing into a new approach here and we’ll be adding new artists that have been on the waiting list for a while. Keep us tuned in.

Spring Is In the Air

Today It’s Blues From the Bayou, Little Feat and Mr. High Energy Johnny Winter Live at The Bottom Line, Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Welcome to Tuesday Bluesday where we’ve got ‘The Best of Louisiana Blues’ and Johnny Winter to open and close. In between, it’s Little Feat’s AOW.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

There’s another thing that Louisiana has besides great food, and it’s some great blues artists. 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. Album of The Week: Feats Don’t Fail Me Now by Little Feat

We continue our 50th anniversary celebration with this great Little Feat album.

7:00 p.m. Johnny Winter Live at The Bottom Line, New York, NY, September 5, 1978

High energy is a mild description for this guy, a brilliant blues guitarist and singer, as well as a record producer. Tonight we close out our Tuesday Bluesday programming with a live performance from The Bottom Line.

It’s always a busy day in The Mermaid Lounge on Tuesday Bluesday, but there’s plenty of room for everyone. We promise.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

It’s Tuesday Bluesday and the Ladies Are In Charge, Followed by Steely Dan, Then Brand New Rory Block, March 5, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists and welcome to Tuesday Bluesday. Today we add Rory Block to our standard rotation and air her new Spotlight feature! It’s Women’s History Month!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

The women of the blues are large and in charge today. You’ll hear 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. Album of The Week: Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan

Steely Dan’s back for their second spin with Pretzel Logic as our Album of The Week.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Rory Block NEW!

Rory Block is one of those artists whose feet are firmly planted in the blues, particularly in the more traditional blues vein and in country blues. She boasts great acoustic blues chops. Perhaps the ‘fame’ others have experienced have eluded Rory Block, but the seven-time blues award winner has is the universal respect of the blues music community.

Join us on this fine Tuesday Bluesday as we add Rory Block to our great blues rotation. We’re on 24/7 at no charge and without commercial interruption. The button awaits you.

Tuesday Bluesday is Here!

It’s ‘Ladies Day Out’, The Rolling Stones, and ‘Great Beginnings’ Closing It Out, Saturday, February 24, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to the weekend! We start off with the women of music in charge, move on to the final airing of our AOW, and give you a brand new multi-artist playlist this evening.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

The ladies are back in the Lounge today and they own the first five hours of our programming. Spend some time with Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Susan Tedeschi, Valerie Carter, Dusty Springfield, Dolly Parton and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: It’s Only Rock N’ Roll by The Rolling Stones FINAL AIRING!

The Stones are back with the final airing of our Album of The Week. Tomorrow, we’ll have a new 50th anniversary album for you.

8:00 p.m. Great Beginnings: Various Artists NEW!

A friend suggested this one, and I thought it was a great idea. Songs with great ‘openings’, some of them definitely guitar riffs, but some not. You’ll hear The Beatles, Electric Light Orchestra, Johnny Rivers, Elton John, Yes, Linda Ronstadt, Chicago, Roy Orbison, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix Experience, CSNY, The Temptations, The Hollies, The Edgar Winter Group, Cream, Neil Young and more!

There’s plenty of room for everyone here, and there is absolutely no charge. We are anti-capitalist music lovers. There is also absolutely no commercial interruption. Just hit the button below.

Great Beginnings!

On Tuesday Bluesday We Head To Louisiana, Air Our AOW, and The Heartbreakers Sing The Blues Later, February 20, 2024

Good morning, bluesologists, and welcome to Tuesday Bluesday. We head on down to Louisiana and The Heartbreakers sing some blues later this evening.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We head on down to bayou country with 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. Album of The Week: It’s Only Rock n’ Roll by The Rolling Stones

The Stones are back with our Album of The Week, their twelfth studio release that went to number one in the US and number two in the UK.

7:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Sing The Blues UPDATED!

It’s no secret that Dr. Petty wanted his band to sit around on chairs as they grew old and play the blues. Unfortunately, we didn’t have him around for long enough. However, the Heartbreakers loved da blues and played their fair share. We’ve got a new, updated playlist for you this evening.

Come on in to The Mermaid Lounge and spend Tuesday Bluesday with us. It won’t cost you a penny. In fact, you won’t even need to take your credit card out of your wallet. We’re on 24/7, we’re totally free, and we don’t interrupt the flow with commercial advertising.

Tuesday Bluesday!