We’re Back With ‘The Female Species’, Live Allman Brothers, and a Linda Ronstadt ‘Spotlight’, Saturday, April 5, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! We’re back today with some excellent programming, starting off with an EP of songs about women, some by women.

Here’s your Saturday musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Female Species: Various Artists

Songs about women featuring Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, Jackson Browne, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Electric Light Orchestra, Fleetwood Mac, Percy Sledge, The Beatles, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, America, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys, The Temptations and more!

4:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band with Eric Clapton Live at The Beacon Theater, New York, NY, March 19, 2009

The Allman Brothers Band playing live at The Beacon is always a treat, but this night they brought along a special guest.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Linda Ronstadt

There’s never been, and may never be, another vocalist who can master so many genres and cross effortlessly between them. There’s so much music in this playlist because she’s given us so much variety. She is certainly the main female musical muse in The Mermaid Lounge.

The Music Mermaid is fully in charge after 10:00 a.m. today as I will be out on the streets in Boston against this evil fascist empire. I hope that many of you will also be there. The music will play on, but our democracy may not unless we all band together. The button is below.

On Thursday It’s Our ‘Ode To Morning’, a Carly Simon ‘Spotlight’, and Jackson Browne & Warren Zevon, March 20, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to Thursday. We have some great programming today interspersed in our big, wide Open Stream. Read on for details!

Here’s your Thursday musical lineup:

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

Yesterday it was songs about night; today morning. You’ll hear The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Dan Fogelberg, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan, Badfinger, Townes Van Zandt, Chris Hillman and more!

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

Simon is a singer, songwriter and musician who rose to fame during the seventies with 13 Top 40 hits, including Anticipation, The Right Thing To Do, You’re So Vain, and Nobody Does It Better. Today she’s in our ‘Spotlight.’

8:00 p.m. Jackson Browne & Warren Zevon ‘In Session’ at VPRO Studios, Hilversum, Holland, December 8, 1976

We close out the programming with a live acoustic set with two of the absolute best singer-songwriters on the planet. Give a listen.

We’re here again today as we are every day, attempting a bit of silver lining through the clouds we now face as a matter of course. We’re totally free, and we’re not cutting our essential services. We’re in this for the long haul. The button is below.

Welcome Weekenders! We’re Hanging With the Laurel Canyon Crowd Today On Saturday, February 15, 2025

Good morning, Weekenders! It’s Laurel Canyon programming all day today starting with our ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ EP, then moving on to Jackson Browne and Joni Mitchell!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

Two generations of musicians existed here and helped build the country-rock genre. They also challenged the bands of the British Invasion for chart dominance. You’ll hear The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jackson Browne

Truly one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation takes the ‘Spotlight’ this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Teatro Tenda, Milan, Italy, May 9, 1983

I’ve seen Joni Mitchell several times, the most impressive was her Court & Spark tour with Tom Scott & The LA Express backing her up. She’s legend.

We’re here all day every day without any breaks in the flow. Before, in between and after our programs, we give you our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs. Suffice it to say, no two days are alike. The button is below.

Friday Brings Both True Love and Nothing But Heartbreak, With The Allman Brothers in Between, February 14, 2025

Good morning, modern lovers! It’s Valentines Day today and we have a playlist about TLA and one about nothing but heartbreak. In between, we’ve got some live Allman Brothers.

Here’s your Valentines Day lineup:

10:00 a.m. True Love Always: Various Artists

One of our earliest playlists is the beautiful side of love with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Carly Simon, Stevie Wonder, Buffalo Springfield, Boz Scaggs, Valerie Carter, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Tom Rush, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, The Hollies, Guy Clark, Neil Young, Aretha Franklin and more!

In between all this love stuff, we’ve got a new concert from The Brothers, this one coming at us from Erie, PA.

8:00 p.m. Nothing But Heartbreak: Various Artists

Yeah. Then there’s the flip side of all that love stuff…the ugly part where your heart gets trampled and left for dead. Some of the folks singing here were singing earlier about the wonders of love; some not. You’ll hear the J. Geils Band, Carole King, Elvis Presley, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Warren Zevon, The Pretenders, Lucinda Williams, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Gladys Knight & The Pips and more!

You win some. You lose some. I’ve lost ’em all. That’s the way of love, ain’t it? But here? You’re never a loser. We’re on 24/7. We don’t charge you any money or track you. We don’t sell you stuff and we certainly don’t allow anyone else to sell you anything. And we play great music. It’s win-win. The Button is below.

Wednesday It’s Songs About Water, Emmylou & Linda Live in Boston, and Toots & The Maytals, February 12, 2025

We’re at midweek and we’ve got our ‘Water, Water Everywhere’ EP, Emmylou & Linda on their “Western Wall” tour, and Toots & The Maytals ‘In The Spotlight.’

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. Water, Water Everywhere: Various Artists

The element that makes up 71% of our earth is the subject of our first musical offering today with Paul McCartney, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, 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, Bonnie Raitt, The Grass Roots, Carole King, Tom Rush, Donovan, Johnny Rivers, America, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys and more!

4:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt & Emmyou Harris Live at The Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA, October 1, 1999

Truly one of the most amazing shows I’ve seen, and I’ve seen plenty in my younger days. They passed through Boston in support of their fantastic Western Wall album.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: Toots & The Maytals

We close out the day with a great ‘Spotlight’ featuring one of the bands that was instrumental in turning the world on to the Reggae sound.

Again, we’re on 24/7; not just when we have programming scheduled. Our standard playlists has over 27,000 songs. No two days are ever repeated. And there’s absolutely no commercial interruption. We’re not in it for the money. We’re in it for the music. The button is below.

On Friday It’s ‘Repeat After Me’, An All-Star Cast in Concert, and a Randy Newman ‘Spotlight’, February 7, 2025

Good morning, musicologists. I make my 71st trip around the sun today and I chose stuff I wanted to hear. I confess. However, I’m sure you’ll like it too!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Repeat After Me: Volume One

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So, Linda Ronstadt covers Martha & The Vandellas; The Heartbreakers cover J.J. Cale; Joan Baez covers The Band; Three Dog Night covers Laura Nyro; Emmylou Harris covers The Beatles; and The Beatles cover Barrett Strong. You get the picture. This is one of my favorite playlists. So is Volume Two which will air tomorrow and, hopefully, an new Volume Three which I hope to have ready for Sunday or Monday. Enjoy.

3:00 p.m. Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin, Bruce Hornsby, and David Lindley Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, September 12, 1999

I had the absolute pleasure of attending this show when it came through Great Woods back in the day. It was a beautiful night in the open air with an all-star cast that did not disappoint. See for yourselves.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Randy Newman

A class act singer-songwriter with a wry sense of humor. Randy Newman is an American institution who has put many a singer on the map. Tonight we hear him sing his own songs.

Once again, we’re here 24/7 at no cost to you. None. No lie. We also refuse to run commercial advertising or to employ overly chatty DJs. We’re all about the music. Check it all out. The button is below.

It’s Sunday Funday With ‘The Female Species’ EP, a Dion ‘Spotlight’ and Live Neil Young & Crazy Horse, February 2, 2025

It’s Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge and we’ve got songs about women, dames, chicks, ladies…etc. Some real. Some imaginary. Then it’s Dion Dimucci and live Neil Young!

Here’s your Sunday musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Female Species: Various Artists

We give you songs about women to day; not necessarily songs by women (although some will be undoubtedly). You’ll hear from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, Jackson Browne, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Electric Light Orchestra, Fleetwood Mac, Percy Sledge, The Beatles, America, Roy Orbison, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Temptations and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Dion Dimucci

People will surely remember Dion for Runaround Sue and The Wanderer back in the early days of rock n’ roll; and certainly the heart wrenching Abraham, Martin and John, released in 1968 after the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. Dion is also a bluesman at heart and is still making music. We’ll show you today.

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

We end the day’s programming with vintage Neil Young & Crazy Horse in a live performance from The Cow Palace.

Hey, it’s the weekend. Time to kick back, relax and enjoy some great music. Before, in between and after we give you our big, wide Open Stream 24/7, not the same playlist every single day. See for yourselves. The button is below.

Sunday Brings ‘Music From Laurel Canyon’ Followed By a Joni Mitchell ‘Spotlight’ and Live CSNY, January 19, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We are awaiting a big snow storm here in the Boston area. We’ll see how that turns out. To say that I’m skeptical would be an understatement. However, one thing I’m sure of is that the music will be fantastic today!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

The pioneers of country-rock and folk-rock all hung out here over a two-decade run that produced music to rival The British Invasion on the charts. 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, 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 Joni Mitchell

We haven’t aired this one in a long time. We have been remiss about sharing this great playlist from a true musical genius.

8:00 p.m. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Live at The Fillmore East, New York, NY, June 5, 1970

One of the greatest supergroups of all time (second only to The Traveling Wilburys) joins us this evening for a performance from the iconic Fillmore in New York.

We are here 24/7, not just when we have programming. Before, in between and after we deliver our big, wide Open Stream at no charge to the listening public. The button is below.

On Saturday It’s ‘The Female Species’ EP, Live Jackson Browne and The Marshall Tucker Band, December 4, 2025

Good morning, Weekenders! Today we give you songs about women, some vintage live Jackson Browne and a Marshall Tucker Band ‘Spotlight’ feature!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Female Species: Various Artists

We start out with songs about women, girls, chicks, dames…you get the picture. There are many from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, Jackson Browne, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Electric Light Orlchestra, Fleetwood Mac, Percy Sledge, The Beatles, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac (the original Mac), America, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, Linda Ronstadt and more!

We’ve got some great live Jackson Browne this afternoon, a show I actually attended back in the day. I had no idea it had been recorded and found it quite by accident searching for something else. We have it for you today.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Marshall Tucker Band

Found in South Carolina in 1972, I consider this band the best of the post-Allman Brothers Southern rock bands. Charlie Daniels doesn’t get airplay here. He was a racist asshole and a homophobe. I don’t much like Skynyrd’s attitude either. Interestingly, the band’s name came from a blind piano tuner whose name was found on a key to their original rehearsal space. Today, we have them ‘In the Spotlight’.

We’re here 24/7 with absolutely no commercial interruption and no chatty DJ’s who like to hear themselves talk so much that they talk through the beginning and the end of songs. We leave that to others. See for yourselves. The button is below.

Sunday Brings The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Who ‘In the Spotlight’ and Music From Laurel Canyon, December 22, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! It’s a balmy 8 degrees here in the Boston area, where we seem to have wildly fluctuating temperatures. But it’s cozy here in The Mermaid Lounge!

Here’s your Sunday lineup:

A new live performance by The Flying Burrito Brothers starts us off today. Although best known for their connection to their legendary founder, Gram Parsons, and Chris Hillman formerly of The Byrds, the lineup underwent a never-ending cycle of changes. The Burritos’ lineup for this show was Skip Battin and Gene Parsons alongside Gib Guilbeau, Joel Scott Hill, and pedal steel legend “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow. Ever changing but always great.

1:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Who

Formed in London in 1964, The Who became one of the most influential bands of the 20th Century, making many contributions to rock music and pioneering the rock opera with Tommy.

4:00 p.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

We move into the evening hours with one of our most popular EPs featuring the artists that helped to launch the country-rock genre, including The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, Buffalo Springfield, The Beach Boys, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, CSNY, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, J.D. Souther, Harry Nilsson, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and more!

We’re on it today and every day. We’re a 24/7 operation 365 days a year, and we’re totally free of charge and free of commercial advertising. The button’s below.