On Monday It’s ‘Travelin’ Fever’, Live John Prine, and Ian & Sylvia, February 3, 2025

I have a rare working Monday, but it is what it is. In spite of that, The Music Mermaid is ready to rock n’ roll here. We should report here that one of our house bands, some guys called The Beatles, took home two Grammys last night, 55 years after breaking up. We’ll be celebrating them midweek.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

We start with songs about life on the road with Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Steve Miller Band, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Eagles, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Byrds, Asleep At The Wheels, Mudcrutch, The Traveling Wilburys, Tom Rush, Buffalo Springfield, The Guess Who and more!

This is one of those rare performances for which we cannot pinpoint a date. The back story is fascinating. John Prine, a true American treasure, was originally a mailman who performed a few nights a week at various locations around the Chicago area. One of those venues was The Fifth Peg. On this night, a young Roger Ebert sat in on one of his performances. The rest, as they say, is musical history. This eventually resulted in an album called The Singing Mailman Delivers, and we include Ebert’s 2013 review along with his memories of the performance captured for the album.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Ian & Sylvia

We close out the evening with a ‘Spotlight’ segment on Ian & Sylvia, a Canadian folk duo who eventually helped create the country-rock sound after moving to Nashville.

We’re here 24/7. Before, in between and after our programming, we give you our big, wide Open Stream. See for yourselves. We’re totally free and the button is below.

Saturday Brings A Folk Music Extravaganza With Our Big EP, Then Jesse Winchester and Tim Hardin, January 25, 2025

Good morning, folk music lovers! The genre that birthed the protest song takes over the programming today, starting with our ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’ EP!

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

We start the day with our big folk EP that includes music from John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family and more!

4:00 p.m. Jesse Winchester Live at The Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia, PA, May 26, 1972

The first time I saw Jesse Winchester live, he opened for Emmylou Harris at Boston’s Music Hall. I was hooked. Today we’ve got him live from Philly.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Tim Hardin

Tim Hardin’s heroin addiction kept him from achieving the star level he could have had. He died in 1980 at the age of 39 from an overdose. Singer Bobby Darin had a hit with If I Were A Carpenter, but it was Hardin who wrote it. He also wrote Rod Stewart’s hit, Reason to Believe. His music lives on.

We’re here around the clock playing some of the greatest music on the planet at no charge to you and with absolutely no commercial interruption. Ever. The button is below.

It’s a Country Kind of Day With Our Big EP, Live Flying Burrito Brothers, and Willie Nelson on Saturday, December 14, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to The Mermaid Lounge where we spend the day with some ‘real’ country musicians and the pioneers of country-rock!

Here’s your Saturday musical lineup:

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

We’re back with our real country EP (none of those bad pop bands with fiddles) of the traditional pioneers and those who pioneered the marriage of country and rock. 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, Carlene Carter, Rosanne Cash, The Desert Rose Band, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Tom Rush, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, The Highwaymen and more!

4:00 p.m. The Flying Burrito Brothers Live at My Father’s Place, Roslyn, NY, November 28, 1976

Gram Parsons, a country-rock pioneer who passed from this world far too soon, and The Burrito Brothers are live from My Father’s Place this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Willie Nelson

We close out the day’s programming with a Willie Nelson ‘Spotlight’ feature.

We’re on 24/7 and we play the best music on the planet completely free of charge and free of commercial advertising. See for yourselves. The button is below.

On Monday We Return To Summer, Then It’s Yusuf/Cat Stevens Live in Virginia and Jesse Winchester, December 9, 2024

As winter settles in here (at least in New England) we take a trip back to summer with our multi-artist playlist, then we have some live Yusuf/Cat Stevens and a Jesse Winchester ‘Spotlight’ feature.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Summertime: Various Artists

As the temperatures drop, we return to a warmer season with Paul McCartney, Electric Light Orchestra, Eddie Cochran, Donovan, The Wallflowers, Van Morrison, Shawn Colvin, John Prine, k.d. lang, The Stone Poneys, Bob Dylan, Nanci Griffith, The Beach Boys, Dusty Springfield and more!

4:00 p.m. Yusuf/Cat Stevens Live at William & Mary Hall, Williamsburg, VA, February 22, 1976

We’ve got The Cat live from William & Mary College in Virginia this afternoon, recorded while on his Majikat (Earth Tour 1976).

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jesse Winchester

I’ve seen Jesse Winchester live several times, the first being when he opened for Emmylou Harris at Boston’s famous Music Hall, which is now known as the MGM Music Hall at Fenway. Capitalism takes the charm out of everything.

There’s plenty of wide Open Stream on Mondays in between our regular programming. We’re here 24/7 and we’re totally free all the time. No bait and switch. See for yourselves. The Button is below.

It’s Saturday and We’re Dreaming and Streaming With Our EP, Johnny Rivers and Live Jimi Hendrix. December 7, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to Saturday in The Lounge with our ‘In Your Dreams’ EP, a Johnny Rivers ‘Spotlight’ feature and live Jimi Hendrix Experience later!

Here’s your lineup to start the weekend:

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

We’re streaming about dreaming with 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, Harry Chapin, Roy Orbison, Townes Van Zandt, Dusty Springfield, Tom Rush, John Prine, Electric Light Orchestra and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Johnny Rivers

A one-man hit machine from the sixties into the early seventies. Johnny Rivers made some great rock and roll music and we put him ‘In the Spotlight’ this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Jimi Hendrix Experience Live at The Haleakala Volcano, Maui, Hawaii, July 30, 1970

Hendrix and his mates give a great performance at the dormant lower crater of the Haleakala Volcano on the island of Maui.

Before, in between, and after our programming we give you our big, wide Open Stream continually without commercial advertising. Every day. No lie. The button is below.

At Midweek, It’s Our Folk Fiesta, Followed by a Tom Waits ‘Spotlight’ and Some Live Tim Hardin, Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Good morning, folk music lovers! We’re opening today with our ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’ EP, then it’s Tom Waits and Tim Hardin live at Woodstock ’69 (The only Woodstock).

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

We’re starting the day off with a music genre that pretty much birthed the protest music movement with John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Peter, Paul & Mary, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter family and more.

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Tom Waits

Not always, but sometimes, folk is Tom Waits. He writes about the underbelly of humanity and delivers his stories in his signature gravelly voice. Today he’s ‘In the Spotlight.’

8:00 p.m. Tim Hardin Live at Woodstock, Max Yasgur’s Farm, Bethel, NY, August 15, 1969

We close out the programming tonight with folk icon Tim Hardin, one of those artist who passed from this planet at far too young an age.

I could tell you that we’re here 24/7 at no charge and with absolutely no commercial advertising. But you’ve heard it all before. The button is below.

Midweek Brings Our Big Folk Music EP, a John Prine ‘Spotlight’ and Live Joni Mitchell on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

Good morning and welcome to midweek with our big folk music EP, and some of the best folk artists in the genre that started the protest music movement and raised everyone’s social consciousness.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

You’ll hear from John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Phil Ochs, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, The Kingston Trio, The Carter Family, Nanci Griffith, Richie Havens, Neil Young and more!

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

Truly one of the greats right here, a man who looked at life through a very different prism and brought a bit of humor to his brilliant songwriting work.

8:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, February 3, 1972

We close with the great Joni Mitchell’s 1972 live performance from the iconic Carnegie Hall.

I apologize for the starkness of the blog. We are having technical difficulties an it will not allow photos today for some odd and annoying reason. But we’re here. Rest assured. The music will go on. Annoyingly, there is no button below, but there is a link.

http://cast5.citrus3.com:2199/start/becomeungovernable/

On Thursday It’s ‘Folk Music From A-To-Z’, a Visit From The Soul Men and The Stones Live in Saitama, Japan, August 29, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to another day in The Mermaid Lounge as we get closer to the weekend! We’ve got a great lineup for you today.

FILE – In this Dec. 1975 file photo, musicians Roger McGuinn, Joni Mitchell, Richie Havens, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan perform the finale of the The Rolling Thunder Revue, a tour headed by Dylan. (AP Photo, File)

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

We kick the day off with a bit of Americana with the pioneers and revivalists of the craft like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Lead Belly, The Kingston Trio, John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Odetta, Peter, Paul & Mary, The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Tom Rush, The Band, Eric Andersen, Judy Collins, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, James Taylor, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, Neil Young and more!

4:00 p.m. The Soul Men: Various Artists

We get a visit from some the Soul Men this afternoon, including Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Al Green, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Fats Domino, Jackie Wilson and more!

8:00 p.m. The Rolling Stones Live at The Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan, April 2, 2006

We close the programming with The Stones live in Saitama, Japan.

We’re here 24/7 at no charge to you because we’re all about the music; not about the money. And we’re not kidding. See for yourself. No strings. No bait-and-switch. Nada. The button’s below.

It’s Sunday Funday With Roy Orbison, Our ‘In Your Dreams’ EP, and Live Music From The Heartbreakers, August 4, 2024

Welcome to the Mermaid Lounge as we enjoy another day of rest with The Big O, streaming and dreaming, and live TPATH to close the programming later.

We’re streaming and dreaming all afternoon!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Roy Orbison

We start it off with a true rock n’ roll pioneer and a man with an amazing set of pipes who was alternately know as The Big O and The Caruso of Rock. He was also a Wilbury, and that is no small feat. Today we put Roy Orbison In the Spotlight.

2:00 p.m. In Your Dreams: Various Artists

This afternoon we’re streaming about dreaming with The Everly Brothers, The Moody Blues, Van Morrison, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Monkees, The Mamas & The Papas, Linda Ronstadt, Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Widespread Panic, Jackson Browne, Mudcrutch, Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Harry Chapin, Roy Orbison, Townes Van Zandt, Electric Prunes, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Etheridge, John Prine, Tom Rush, Electric Light Orchestra and more!

8:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Target Center, Minneapolis, MN, August 3, 1999

We close out the programming tonight with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers live from Minnesota on The Echo Tour.

Kick off your shoes. Take off our socks and toss them in the dirty laundry pile. Then, chill out here with us in The Mermaid Lounge! The button’s below.

On Your Day of Rest, It’s a Grass Roots Spotlight, the ‘In Your Dreams’ EP, and Live Allman Brothers, Sunday, July 7, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! It’s Sunday Funday in The Lounge and we’ve finally put together a Spotlight feature on The Grass Roots, one of those great sixties-seventies ‘hits’ bands.

Here’s your Sunday funday lineup:

Not every band that gets airtime in The Mermaid Lounge is a game-changer or full of musical geniuses. Sometimes they just make fucking great music and chart like crazy. And so it is with The Grass Roots, one of those great sixties-seventies bands whose music is instantly recognizable and makes you want to sing along.

1:00 p.m. In Your Dreams: Various Artists

Spend your afternoon with some dreamers, including 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, Harry Chapin, Roy Orbison, Townes Van Zandt, Electric Prunes, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Etheridge, John Prine, Tom Rush, Electric Light Orchestra and more!

8:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band Live at The Beacon Theater, New York, NY, March 19, 2009

Another one of those great Beacon Theater performances by The Brothers. This one helped along by an appearance in the second half by Eric Clapton.