On Sunday, It’s ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul,’ Live Emmylou Harris & Spyboy, and a Supremes ‘Spotlight’, March 23, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! We’ve got a lot of soul today with some live Emmylou Harris with one of her fantastic backing bands in tow. See below for details!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

We’ve got our soul mojo working today with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Carla Thomas, James Brown, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke, Edwin Starr, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, Irma Thomas, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Fontella Bass and more!

4:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & Spyboy Live at Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland, January 20, 1997

Since her touring days with The Hot Band, Emmylou Harris has had a knack for putting together amazing road bands. Spyboy was no exception. The band was formed for the tour supporting her career-redefining album, Wrecking Ball. Spyboy consisted of three members: country singer-songwriter Buddy Miller on guitar and New Orleans musicians Daryl Johnson on bass and Brady Blade on drums.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Diana Ross & The Supremes

We’re back to soul tonight with a focus on The Supremes. It’s a great way to close out a soulful musical day.

Here we are again providing a respite in this tempest with great music 24/7. No charge. No tracking. No subscription required. We are all about the music. Come and go as you please. The button is below.

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.

Saturday We’ve Got Songs About Trains, Music From ‘The Queens’, and Marvin Gaye at Montreux, March 8, 2025

Welcome, weekenders! Today we begin celebrating International Women’s Month in earnest. We’re most definitely a DEI radio station. If you don’t celebrate the differences in the human race, like women or believe we’re all in this together, then this is not your venue!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Train Tracks: Various Artists

Today we start out with songs about trains and train travel, a very popular topic. You’ll hear from Steve Winwood, Guy Clark, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Rosanne Cash, Electric Light Orchestra, J. J. Cale, Chicken Shack, Nanci Griffith, Taj Mahal, Paul Butterfield, The Eagles, Paul Simon, Pete Seeger, Joni Mitchell, Mother Earth, Kim Weston, Little Feat and more!

4:00 p.m. Long Live The Queens: Various Artists

We’ve got Aretha Franklin (The Queen of Soul), Koko Taylor (The Queen of The Blues), Irma Thomas (The Soul Queen of New Orleans) and Linda Ronstadt (The Queen of Rock) this afternoon. We give the ladies plenty of shine all the time, but this is International Women’s Month and we’re giving them some extra.

8:00 p.m. Marvin Gaye Live at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux Casino, Montreux, Switzerland, July 17, 1980

We close out the day’s programming with the Prince of Soul this evening, live from the Montreux Jazz Festival.

We’re here 24/7 at no charge to our listeners. We don’t track you and we don’t allow the Elongated Muskrat to get into your personal shit. We’re anti-capitalist and anti-fascist. The button is below.

On Thursday It’s Songs About Colors, The Beatles at Candlestick Park & a J. Geils Band ‘Spotlight’, February 27, 2025

As we head toward the weekend, we’ve got songs about colors. It’s Open Stream with a Theme. Then it’s The Beatles’ final live performance and a J. Geils Band ‘Spotlight.’

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Color My World: Various Artists

Who knew there were so many songs about colors? Well, you’ll see for yourself with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Donovan, Booker T & The MGs, Electric Light Orchestra, Procol Harum, Joni Mitchell, The Who, Amy Winehouse, Sam & Dave, Badfinger, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, The Hollies, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Cream, Marvin Gaye, Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt and more!

This was The Beatles’ final planned live performance ever. Remember that recording shows was not a “thing” back in 1966. Hell, nobody ever played a huge arena like Candlestick until back in those days…except for The Beatles. They knew it would be their final paid live performance and they asked someone to bring their cassette recorder. This is the result. Nothing like what you hear now, but certainly musical history in the making.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The J. Geils Band

Forgive our impertinance, but we give you a ‘Spotlight’ this evening from Boston’s original Bad Boys our preferred Boston-born band.

We are on track for the weekend once again, and it’s getting warmer here in the Boston area. Hopefully, spring is in the air. We’re on 24/7 and we’re free, with no commercial interruption. Do yourself a favor and tune us in. The button is below.

On Wednesday It’s More Sixties, and Both George Harrison and Bob Marley & The Wailers Live, February 26, 2025

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to midweek in The Mermaid Lounge! Today we give you volume two of our Sixties Rotation, followed by a couple of great live performances as we wish a happy belated birthday to the late, great George Harrison.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

In this edition of our sixties fixation you’ll hear The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Buffalo Springfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Linda Ronstadt, Wilson Pickett, The Band, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, The Ronettes, The Kinks, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimmy Cliff, Chuck Berry, The Byrds, Blind Faith, The Spencer Davis Group, The Four Tops, CSNY, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King and more!

4:00 p.m. George Harison Live at The Capitol Center, Landover, MD, December 13, 1974

We may be a day late, but we’re never a dollar short. This afternoon we give you some live George Harrison on his Dark Horse Tour. Happy Birthday, George!

8:00 p.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, October 13, 1973

We close it all out with The Legend live from The Record Plant.

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We’re Feeling Soulful With Our Big EP, a Drifters ‘Spotlight’, and Live Nina Simone on Saturday, February 22, 2025

Good morning, soul and R & B lovers! We’re amped up today as we bring you ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ for starters, then it’s the Drifters ‘In the Spotlight’ and some live Nina Simone!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

We officially begin the weekend with our biggest soul music EP, featuring Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, The Drifters, 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, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Drifters

The Drifters have an interesting background, reflecting the social injustice of the times. It’s too long for me to write about on this blog, but you can read all about it here. Regardless, they made some great music and we’ve got them ‘In the Spotlight’ today.

Today we celebrate the birthday (February 21) of the late, great Nina Simone, singer, songwriter, music arranger and, yes, civil rights and social justice activist. Here she’s live at the the annual Jazz a Juan International Jazz Festival. We need her fighting spirit now.

Come on in to The Mermaid Lounge for a little bit of soul and R & B today. In between that programming, we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream running 24/7 at no charge. We’re anti-capitalist. We care about only one thing: Playing great music for you folks with absolutely no commercial interruption. The button is below.

Sunday Brings ‘M is For Motown’, An Aretha Franklin ‘Spotlight’ and Marvin Gaye’s Number Ones On February 9, 2025

We’re celebrating Black History Month in February and that includes music (although every month is Black Musical History Month as far as we’re concerned). Today we bring you our big Motown EP and performances by two of the greatest!

Here’s the lineup of music that moved the world:

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

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

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Aretha Franklin

Nope. We know she wasn’t Motown. She was Atlantic. Doesn’t matter. There were a number of labels signing soul and R & B artists. We celebrate them all. There was, and still isn’t, anybody quite like the undisputed Queen of Soul.

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

We close out the celebration with Marvin Gaye and all of his number one hits. There were plenty.

Once again, allow me to reiterate that we’re here 24/7; not just when we have programming. We do not air commercial advertising. We’re not going to track you or sell you a damned thing. We don’t require a “subscription” or take your personal information. The button is below.

Saturday Brings Our House EP, Live Hot Tuna, and The Byrds, February 1, 2025

Good morning, weekenders! Welcome to a new month here in The Mermaid Lounge with our House EP chock full of great music, some live Hot Tuna and The Byrds ‘in the Spotlight’.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

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

We start out with our big House EP 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, Joan Baez, Bob Marley & The Wailers, CSNY, Pink Floyd, The Animals, Ten Years After, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, The Band and more!

4:00 p.m. Hot Tuna Live at The Ridgefield Theater, Ridgefield, CT, January 7, 2014

This is one fine band born of the decline of The Jefferson Airplane and helmed by Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen for all these years.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Byrds

Formed in L.A. in 1964, the band has gone through a long history of personnel changes, save for Roger McGuinn, who has been there from the start. His presence made them a consistently great band.

Some of you have started your weekend foray today. I’ve got one more day in retail hell. But The Music Mermaid is fully in charge and, as you know, she has impeccable taste in music. The button is below.

Thursday It’s Volume Two of Our Sixties Rotation, a Roy Orbison ‘Spotlight’ and Live Little Feat, January 30, 2025

Today we’ve got volume two of ‘The Sixties Rotation’ EP, a Spotlight featuring the Caruso of Rock, and live Little Feat, this time featuring the great Lowell George.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’re on the mid-to-late portion of the sixties with The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Elvis Presley, Buffalo Springfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Roy Orbison, The Animals, The Beatles, Linda Ronstadt, Wilson Pickett, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, The Band, The Kinks, Jimmy Cliff, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Blind Faith, The Four Tops, CSNY, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, B. B. King, and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Roy Orbison

One of the pioneers of rock n’ roll who was blessed with a five-octave range and was known as The Caruso of Rock. He was also a Traveling Wilbury, and his mates considered him one of the best singers on the planet.

8:00 p.m. Little Feat Live at The Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA, October 31, 1975

I had the pleasure of attending this concert back in the day, and I consider it one of their best. It was broadcast on the iconic Boston radio station WBCN, and resulted in the Halloween night live album Hellzapoppin’. Don’t get me wrong. Little Feat without Lowell George has acquitted itself well. However, Little Feat is only really Little Feat with Lowell at the helm.

We’re here like clockwork all day and all night long, uninterrupted by commercials and chatty DJ’s. We’re all about the music, and we’re totally free of charge. The button is below.

On Sunday, It’s ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’, Live Emmylou Harris, and The Pretenders ‘In The Spotlight’, January 26, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! We’re all over the musical map today with our ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, some live Emmylou Harris and The Pretenders ‘In the Spotlight’ later!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

We start the day off with our big kahuna of soul and R & B encompassing Motown, Stax and Atlantic, among others. You’ll hear Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, 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, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Ann Peebles, Al Green and more!

4:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris Live at My Father’s Place, Roslyn, New York, September 14, 1976

This afternoon we’ve got some early Emmylou Harris from My Father’s Place, a popular venue for young, aspiring artists on Long Island.

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

Chrissie Hynde’s band brings up the rear with some hard-edged rock as we close out the day’s programming.

But we’re here all day and all night. Before, in between, and after our scheduled programs we give you our big, wide Open Stream without interruption. The button is below.