Tag: M is For Motown

On Thursday It’s ‘M is For Motown,’ JT & Carole King at The Troubadour, and Marvin Gaye’s Number Ones, October 9, 2025

Good morning, music lovers. We’re over the hump and things get better from here! We’ve got a great lineup opening with five hours of uninterrupted Motown sounds!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

Yeah, the music that made America dance with Barrett Strong, Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, Kim Weston, The Jackson Five, Jr Walker & The All-Stars, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Tops, Rare Earth, Mary Wells, The Contours, Tammi Terrell, and so many more!

4:00 p.m. James Taylor & Carole King Live at The Troubadour, W. Hollywood, CA, November 28-30, 2007

This dynamic duo came back and reprised their appearance at The Troubadour from 36 years earlier, and was part of a 50-year celebration for the venue itself. A great show it was!

8:00 p.m. Marvin Gaye: The Number Ones

The man known as the ‘Prince of Soul’ had a hell of a lot of number ones during his career. We’ve got them for you this evening.

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M is For Motown!

On Thusday It’s the Motown Sound, a Ray Charles ‘Spotlight,’ and Traffic Live at The Capitol Theater, August 7, 2025

Good morning, musicologists. Today we kick things off with the Motown sound, five hours of uninterrupted music that made America dance. Then it’s on to Ray Charles and Traffic!

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

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

You’ll hear all the bands that helped establish the Motown dynasty, including Barrett Strong, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson Five, Kim Weston, Jr Walker & The All Stars, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, The Contours, Rare Earth, Mary Wells, Tammi Terrell, Diana Ross & The Supremes, and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Ray Charles

This genius singer, songwriter and pianist is the stuff of legends, and is one of the most influential artists in all of music. Today, he’s ‘In the Spotlight.’

8:00 p.m. Traffic Live at The Capitol Theater, Port Chester, NY, June 26, 1970

Speaking of legends, we close it out with Steve Winwood and Traffic live in New York.

We’re here 24/7 and we’ve got The Music Mermaid running the show when I’m not here. There’s no down time on our channel. We’re free. We do not run advertising. We do not employ chatty DJs. We’re all about the music. The button is below.

The Motown Sound!

Sunday It’s Live Van Morrison to Start, Our ‘M is For Motown’ EP, Then Closing With Dusty Springfield, On July 6, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! Welcome to Sunday Funday in The Mermaid Lounge where we begin with some live Van Morrison, carry on with an afternoon of Motown sounds, and close out the programming with a Dusty Springfield ‘Spotlight’ feature!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Van Morrison Live at The Capitol Center, Passaic, NJ, October 6, 1979

We kick it off today with the great Van Morrison live at The Capitol Center. He started out with the British blues band, Them, back in the sixties and he’s still going.

1:00 p.m. M is For Motown: Various Artists

We move on to the Mowtown greats to get us through the afternoon, including Barrett Strong, 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!

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Dusty Springfield

We close it out with the Queen of Blue-Eyed Soul, Dusty Springfield, one of the true pioneers in women’s music.

We’re headed for another two-day heat blast here in the Boston area, but it will be cool here in The Mermaid Lounge, We’re on 24/7. We’re totally free. And we run absolutely no commercial advertising. It’s all about the music here. The button is below.

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We Close Out Festival Week With Performances from Judy Collins and Joan Baez, and Our ‘M is For Motown’ EP, on Sunday, May 11, 2025. Happy Mother’s Day!

Good morning, weekenders, and Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there! Festival Week ends today with live performances from both Judy Collins and Joan Baez (to close out the day). We begin the morning with our soulful Motown EP.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

We open it up with our tribute to Motown stars like Barrett Strong, Eddie Kendricks, 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. Judy Collins Live at The Newport Folk Festival, Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI, 1957-1966

Judy Collins appeared at the vaunted festival several times. This is a compilation of her performances from 1957 and 1966.

8:00 p.m. Joan Baez Live at The Newport Folk Festival, Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI, July 26 & 27, 1968

We close out Festival Week with Joan Baez’s 1968 performance at the Newport Folk Festival.

Could this be a time for another great folk resurgence? We think so. Artists like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger birthed the protest song, then Bob Dylan took up the mantle. We love the genre here, and we certainly think the time is right. Join us today as we close out Festival Week. The button is below.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Saturday Brings a Trip to Motor City, a Cass Elliot ‘Spotlight’ Feature, and Gov’t Mule Live at the Roseland, April 12, 2025

Welcome, Weekenders! I return to work today but The Music Mermaid is large and in charge for a great day of programming. Very eclectic, I might add.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

We take a trip to Motor City this morning with songs from Barrett Strong, Eddie Kendricks, Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson Five, Kim Weston, Marvin Gaye, Jr Walker & The All Stars, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Temptations, The Isley Brothers, The Contours, Rare Earth, Mary Wells, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Tammi Terrell and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Cass Elliot NEW!

We leave out the “Mama” because we’ve read many times that she hated that moniker. Cass Elliot was an enigma and the subject of many rumors, and I very much look forward to reading her daughter’s biography. One thing is for certain, she had a great voice and was a member of one of the most influential bands of the sixties, The Mamas & The Papas. She went on to have a successful solo career, recording five albums as a solo artist. She died far too young, at the age of 35. Today, we’ve finally given her the ‘Spotlight’ she deserves.

8:00 p.m. Gov’t Mule Live at The Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, October 22, 1996

One of the best road jam bands finishes up our Saturday programming this evening. The band started at a ‘side project’ by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody on a break from The Allman Brothers Band back in 1994. They’ve been together ever since.

We’re here 24/7 and we’re completely free of charge and free of any commercial advertising. We’re all about the music. See for yourselves. The button is below!

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We’re at Midweek With Music From Motor City, Tom Rush ‘In the Spotlight’, and Laura Nyro Live in Japan, March 12, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to midweek. We’ve got another fantastic lineup here to get you over the hump and put you on the downslide to the weekend.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

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

We start with all the artists that helped put Motown on the map, including Barrett Strong, Eddie Kendricks, Barrett Strong, 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, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Tammi Terrell and more!

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

A native New Englander drops by this afternoon to spin some tunes. His importance to music cannot be understated: He is known as the man who started the singer-songwriter genre more than six decades ago. He’s still going strong like the Energizer Bunny.

8:00 p.m. Laura Nyro Live in Japan, February 18-22, 1994

This was the tour when the late, great Laura Nyro conquered Japan. She was recorded live at Kintetsu Hall in Osaka on February 22, and also at On Air West on February 18 and 22.

We’re getting there, folks. We’re at midweek and we head toward another weekend. We’re here 24/7 to make the journey much more pleasant and we’re totally free of charge, and with no commercial interruptions. The button is below.

The Button.

We Bring On the Soul With Otis Redding, Our ‘M is For Motown’ EP, and Nina Simone on Sunday, January 12, 2025

Good morning, Weekenders! We’re making it a soulful Sunday today with a great programming that features a new live performance by Nina Simone, vintage 1963!

Here’s your Sunday funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Otis Redding

Known as The Big O, Otis Redding would not live to see how popular and influential he would become to the music world. He died in a plane crash in 1967 just after writing and recording Sittin’ On The Dock of The Bay. The song was released in January 1968 and would become the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B charts. You can read all about Otis Redding here.

1:00 p.m. M is For Motown: Various Artists

We break into the Motown vault 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!

8:00 p.m. Nina Simone Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, April 12, 1963 NEW!

Singer, songwriter, pianist and activist, Nina Simone is a gem. We love her here in The Mermaid Lounge. Tonight we have a great live performance from Carnegie Hall that we’ve never aired before. Enjoy!

It’s a soulful Sunday here in the Mermaid Lounge. Tune us in. We’re totally free of charge and free of commercial interruption. See for yourselves. The button is below.

Soulful Sunday!

We’ve Got a Lot of Soul Today With Our Big Motown EP, Sam Cooke, and James Brown on Thursday, November 14, 2024

Good morning, soul music lovers! We’ve got a lot of soul going on today here in The Mermaid Lounge, starting out with our big ‘M is for Motown’ multi-artist EP!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We start out the day in Motor City 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. In The Spotlight: The Music of Sam Cooke

Known as ‘The King of Soul’, Sam Cooke was indeed a pioneer and remains one of the most influential soul and R&B singers on the planet because of his incredible songwriting and unique vocal style.

8:00 p.m. James Brown & The Famous Flames Live at The Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York, June 24-25, 1967

We close out the programming this evening with the hardest working man in show business, hands down, at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Here we are as we pass hump day and head for the weekend. We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free. We never air commercial advertising and that’s because we’re not in it for the money. We’re anti-capitalist music lovers here. The button is below.

M is For Motown!

We Celebrate Soul Today With Our Big ‘M Is For Motown’ EP, Then Spotlight Features From The Four Tops and Ann Peebles, On Sunday, October 13, 2024

Good morning, soul and R&B lovers and welcome to another day in The Lounge. Today, we get into the music that made America dance!

Here’s your soul music madness:

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

We celebrate the sound of soul 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, Tammy Terrell, Diana Ross & The Supremes and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Four Tops NEW!

Another long-suffering project off the list with this one, and it’s about time. The Four Tops was was of the most commercially-successful quartets of the sixties and helped to establish Motown’s position in the music world.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Ann Peebles

You know who got me onto Ann Peebles? Believe it or not, Tom Petty. I first heard her music listening to his Buried Treasure show on Sirius XM. She is best remembered for her string of albums and hits from the seventies. Who knew? Not me. But I sure do now.

It’s Sunday, and that’s a day of rest. No matter what the raging capitalist world wants you to believe. You do not have to go out and spend money on Sunday. You can take a day off and spend it with us (not your money; your time). The button is below.

Stay home. Listen to music. Save money.

It’s Motown Music, a Doris Troy Spotlight Feature and Live James Taylor, on Saturday, September 14, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got our ‘M is For Motown’ multi-artist EP, a Spotlight featuring Doris Troy and some live James Taylor later.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

We start with five hours of music from the Motor City 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, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Mary Wells, Tammi Terrell and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Doris Troy

Known to her fans as “Mama Soul,” singer-songwriter Doris Troy’s only top ten hit was Just One Look, recorded in ten minutes and released in 1963. She faded from the American conscience and found herself in England, signed by The Beatles to Apple Records and releasing an album co-produced by George Harrison. She fared much better in the UK than she did here, and that’s a shame. Doris Troy was truly one of the many talented who fall through the cracks. Today we have her In the Spotlight.

8:00 p.m. James Taylor Live at The Beacon Theater, New York, NY, May 30, 1998

We close out the evening’s programming with Sweet Baby James Taylor live from The Beacon in New York.

Here we are, weekenders! We’re hanging in The Lounge until my work day begins, when The Music Mermaid comes on board and guides us through until later today. You will not be disappointed. Better still, we’re free of charge and free from commercial advertising.

M is For Motown!