We’ve Made It to Friday and We’re ‘Under The Influence’ for Several Hours Plus the Final Turn for Tom Rush, March 17, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve made it to Friday and I know a ton of you will be celebrating St. Patrick’s day. It’s big here in Boston, but we don’t talk much about that since they don’t allow LGBT people to march in their ugly parade. They might catch it. But here in the lounge, we’ve got something better going on.

Here’s Friday’s musical madness:

10:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

Yes, we have all been here at one time or another. Some of us with legal substances, some with illegal substances, and some of us with both. You will hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Byrds, Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Donovan, Glen Frey, John Lee Hooker, Jonathan Edwards, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, The Traveling Wilburys, The Temptations, Small Faces, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, The Beatles, Neil Young, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Dave Van Ronk, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Led Zeppelin, Harry Chapin, The Band, The Fraternity of Man and more! Five hours of mind-bending madness.

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Tom Rush FINAL AIRING!

The great Tom Rush, whose career has spanned more than sixty years, and who has launched several other singer-songwriter’s careers, takes his last turn as our featured singer-songwriter. Tomorrow, we’ll have a new selection.

Lots of good music today, and plenty of wide Open Stream before, in between, and after courtesy of The Music Mermaid. She takes care of things around here while I’m laboring in retail hell. We’re running 24/7 totally free with no commercial interruption. Get on it, people.

We are ‘Under The Influence’ at Midweek; We’ve Also Got Van Morrison and Eva Cassidy Along For the Ride, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! Today we kick off early with our ‘Under The Influence’ EP of mind-bending songs, then we move on with Van Morrison as our featured singer-songwriter and Eva Cassidy’s live performance at Pearl’s.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

We start off the morning under the influence with songs about mind-bending substances, both legal and not. Hey, we’ve all been there at least once in our lives. Some of us more. You’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Donovan, Glen Frey, John Lee Hooker, Jonathan Edwards, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, The Traveling Wilburys, The Temptations, Small Faces, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, The Beatles, Neil Young, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Dave Van Ronk, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Led Zeppelin, Harry Chapin, The Band, The Fraternity of Man and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Van Morrison

Van takes his second turn as this week’s featured singer-songwriter. This guy has been at it for seven decades and is still going.

7:00 p.m. Eva Cassidy Live at Pearl’s, Annapolis, MD, September 14, 1994

Eva Cassidy was robbed of her future just two years after this performance when she passed away from cancer, but she left an awful lot of great music behind for us to enjoy. Luckily we’ve managed to find a some live performances to bring you over the past several years. Like many others, I never heard her before her death. If you’ve never heard Eva sing before, this would be a great night to introduce yourself to her talent.

We’re here 24/7 at no cost to you. We are totally free of charge and free of commercial advertising. We are all about the music and nothing more. Whether we have two people or two thousand listening, we are the same. Give us a listen.

We’re Heading Toward The Weekend With Our ‘Color My World’ EP, Our AOW, and Volume Two of The Hearbreakers at The Fillmore, Thursday, February 2, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We’re back with more great music as we are on the downslide to the weekend! We keep on with our time travel back to the Heartbreakers’ 20-night residency at The Fillmore a bit later on, but we start with our EP about all kinds of colors in the title, lyrics or both!

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

There’s nothing quite like color, and we’ve got colors of all kinds in these song in the title, lyrics or both. You’ll hear Linda Ronstadt, Valerie Carter, The Kinks, The Beatles, The Traveling Wilburys, Jonathan Edwards, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, John Hiatt, Joni Mitchell, Badfinger, Donovan, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Elton John, Procol Harum, Electric Light Orchestra, Amy Winehouse, The Who, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Sam & Dave, Jefferson Airplane, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, The Hollies, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Booker T. & The MG’s, Lucinda Williams, John Cougar Mellencamp, Creedence Clearwater Revival and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Mr. Tambourine Man by The Byrds

We’re winding down on this one, so get it in while you can! Our final airing will be sometime on Saturday.

7:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore, Volume Two, 1997

We’ve got volume two of one of the finest series of live performances every put on vinyl (yes, vinyl is still available and is still the best way to listen). Over a 20-night residency as The Fillmore House Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers established themselves as one of the finest live rock n’ roll bands on the planet. Don’t miss this one.

We’re here in The Mermaid Lounge spinning tunes for your listening pleasure. It won’t cost you anything but time and it’s a certainty that good music makes everything just a little bit better. Don’t you agree?

Today It’s a New ‘Live’ Show by The Pretenders, Our ‘Out in The Cold’ Playlist and the Final Airing of Laura Nyro as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter, Friday, January 13, 2023

Good Morning, Global Family! Forget that it’s Friday the 13th. No bad luck here in The Mermaid Lounge; just great music 24/7 every day of the week at no cost to you! We’ve got a great lineup for you today starting with The Pretenders.

Here’s your Friday the 13th lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Pretenders Live at Laeiszhalle, Hamburg, Germany, June 23, 2009 NEW!

Chrissie Hynde is a force of nature and a real pioneer in the world of rock and it spills over into her great band. Today we have our very first ‘live’ Pretenders playlist from Germany.

3:00 p.m. Out in The Cold: Various Artists

We haven’t aired this one in a while and it’s about time. Of course, it’s not just about the cold weather. It’s about all weather. Here in the Boston area, we’re feeling the effects of global warming. It has not been cold at all. You will hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Albert King, The Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan, Johnny Rivers, James Taylor & Carole King, Bill Withers, Cream, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Michael Murphy, Dr. John, Electric Light Orchestra and more!

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Laura Nyro FINAL AIRING!

Laura Nyro left us all far too early, but she left a legacy of musical genius that cannot be denied. Many recorded her songs over the years from The Fifth Dimension to Barbra Streisand, but there is nothing like hearing Laura Nyro sing her own compositions. See for yourself tonight.

If you’re just tuning us in for the first time, then you’re in luck…good luck. We’re on 24/7 at no charge to you and with no commercial advertising to interrupt the musical juju. We’re all about the music, and that’s the way it should be.

We Head Toward The Weekend With Our AOW, The ‘Ode To Morning’ EP, and a Tribute to Guitar Genius Jeff Beck, on Thursday, January 12, 2023

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We are on the downslide to the weekend as we give you an airing of Santana’s AOW, our ‘Ode to Morning’ multi-artist EP, and a tribute to Jeff Beck, a man who had a profound influence on popular music.

Here’s today’s lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Abraxas by Santana

We are on our next-to-last airing of this great Latin rock album here in The Mermaid Lounge. Our final airing will be sometime on Saturday, so you’ve got one more opportunity after this one!

11:00 a.m. Ode To Morning: Various Artists

We’ve had our musical tribute to the night time already this month, so now we turn to the morning hours where you will hear Joni Mitchell, The Move, Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Nina Simone, Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Dan Fogelberg, Harry Chapin, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Linda Ronstadt, Jonathan Edwards, Townes Van Zandt, Pure Prairie League, Bob Dylan, Chris Hillman, Badfinger and more!

7:00 p.m. The Yardbirds Live at B. B. King’s Blues Club, New York, NY, July 19, 2006

On January 10, we lost guitar god Jeff Beck at the age of 78, but he was more than just a guitar god. Beck influenced others for generations. He was an eight-time Grammy winner who spent time in The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame twice, once in 1992 with The Yardbirds and again in 2009 as a solo artist. As we assemble a Spotlight feature on him, we start with this great live reunion performance from 2006 at B. B. King’s Blues Club.

Before, in between and after we give you our wide Open Stream under the supervision of The Music Mermaid. She has impeccable taste in music, as you well know. We can make the trip to the weekend so much better with great music, and it won’t cost you a penny or require a “membership” of any kind. Hell, we don’t even ask your name.

We Begin Another Work Week With Johnny Rivers, Music Banned From the Airwaves, and The Band ‘Live’ in D.C. on Monday, January 9, 2023

Good morning, music lovers across the globe! We begin yet another work week here in The Mermaid Lounge. However, do not despair! We’ve got some great music lined up for you today that will help take the workday blues away.

Here’s your Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Johnny Rivers UPDATED!

Johnny Rivers was an Italian boy born in New York City, but raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was influenced by the distinctive Louisiana music style. His repertoire includes pop, folk, blues and just plain good old rock n’ roll. He is best remembered for a string of hits between 1964 through 1968, including Memphis, Mountain of Love, Secret Agent Man, and The Seventh Son. He’s also written a number of songs, including Abraham, Martin and John, a great tune that became a hit for Dion. We’ve recently expanded this playlist just a bit and we’ve got it for you today.

3:00 p.m. Banned From the Airwaves: Various Artists

Yes, you can hear these songs today, but when they were first released it was another story. Some were banned for their sexual references, some for their weed references, some because of their references to guns, and some because of their references to the almighty supreme being. You’ll hear The Doors, The Everly Brothers, The Beatles, The Kinks, Paul McCartney & Wings, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Kingsmen, The Who, Van Morrison, The Shirelles, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Barry McGuire, Them, The Rolling Stones, Peter, Paul & Mary, Billy Joel, Neil Young and more!

7:00 p.m. The Band Live at The Carter Baron Amphitheatre,Washington, D.C., July 17, 1976

We close out the programming with a live performance by a favorite here in The Mermaid Lounge. They began as Bob Dylan’s back-up band and turned into one of the most well-respected and influential bands in all of popular music. This one was broadcast live on the legendary radio show, The King Biscuit Flower Hour.

Let’s face it. Mondays suck. The one thing we can offer to improve the situation is great music. We’re here 24/7 (not just when we have programming), uninterrupted by commercial advertising of any kind (just a few station I.D. announcements from yours truly so you know where you are), and at no cost to you. We don’t even ask your name.

Happy Holidays From The Mermaid Lounge! Today We Bring Leon Russell With Our New AOW and the ‘Water, Water Everywhere’ EP, Sunday, December 25, 2022

Good morning and Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas, whatever you choose. We are here in The Mermaid Lounge where all we have to offer is non-stop music at no charge to you on a 24/7 rotation. And I’m happy to report we do not play Christmas music.

Here’s today’s holiday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Carney by Leon Russell

I have long been a fan of Leon Russell. He’s one of my favorite singer-songwriters. I also remember the first time I heard Carney and thinking that this would be the album where others would recognize just how great he truly was. Carney is Russell’s third studio album, released in 1972. It gave him his first hit single in Tight Rope (backed by Masquerade). The album is a split between straightforward roots rock and a bit of psychedelia. The music critics hate that shit, but his fans didn’t. That’s what mattered. The album peaked at No. 2 on Billboard.

1:00 p.m. Water, Water Everywhere: Various Artists

Water is absolutely essential to the perpetuation of life on the planet, and it is a popular subject in the music world, as you will see. You’ll hear songs by Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Otis Redding, Neil Young, Elton John, 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. Lindisfarne, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Steely Dan, Tom Rush, Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

Yes, it’s a day to be with friends and family. I’ll be doing the same in a while. But in the meantime we’ve got your music here. And it’ll be here when you’re done reveling. We continue on.

It’s Friday in The Mermaid Lounge and We’ve Got ‘The Original Sixties Rotation’ EP and Volume Two of Badass Guitarists Today, December 23, 2022

Yes, musicologists, the wind is howling here and it is absolutely pouring buckets as the Boston area remains too warm for snow. It’s a great day to stay in and put on some great music. We start it off with the music that inspired the station!

Here’s your stormy Friday lineup:

11:00 a.m. The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

Ah, the sixties. There was no time like it culturally, politically and especially musically. You’ll hear Del Shannon, Little Eva, The Drifters, The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, Mary Wells, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, Glen Campbell, Johnny Rivers, The Dave Clark Five, The Supremes, Harry Nilsson, The Band, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Simon & Garfunkel, Blind Faith, Janis Joplin, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Who, Tony Joe White, Barry McGuire, Fats Domino, The Temptations, Procol Harum and more!

7:00 p.m. Badass Guitarists, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’ve got volume two for you today. Aside from those pictured above (l-r, Albert Lee of Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, Jimi Hendrix, John Fogerty and Bo Diddley), you’ll hear the handiwork of Lowell George and Paul Barrere (Little Feat), Brian May (Queen), Waddy Wachtel (Linda Ronstadt and a ton of session work), Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Mike Campbell and Tom Petty (The Heartbreakers), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Neil Young, Joey Molland (Badfinger) and more!

Step out with us today. Come on. You know you want to. There’s no time like the present.Before, in between, and after we’ve got that great big wide Open Stream expressly run by The Music Mermaid. This is her kind of weather and she’ll be on form. Do it.

Things Are Rockin’ Today With Our AOW, an Outgoing and Incoming Singer-Songwriter, and Our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP, Saturday, December 3, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We have a rockin’ day here in The Mermaid Lounge today with CCR, Neil Young, Carole King and our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP all on tap! Read on for details!

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival FINAL AIRING!

Today is the final airing of this album, which was actually the third album released by Creedence alone in 1969. To say they burst onto the music scene with a bang is an understatement. They never looked back. Tomorrow, we’ll have a brand new selection by the time you wake up!

11:00 a.m. Here Comes The Night: Various Artists

Today our favorite musicians and singers wax poetic about the night time. Because the night time is the right time. You’ll hear The Traveling Wilburys, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, the J. Geils Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Them, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Patti Smith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, The Kinks, the Electric Prunes, Phoebe Snow, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, The Ronettes, John Cougar Mellencamp, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, The Doors, Poco, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Band, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, Steve Winwood, Cat Stevens and more!

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Neil Young FINAL AIRING!

Today we give you the final airing of our Singer-Songwriter series featuring the great Neil Young, but don’t despair. We’ve got some new-to-the-station live Neil coming up next week!

10:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Carole King NEW!

For our final programming act of the day, we give you our new featured Singer-Songwriter in Carole King. This will repeat two more times during the upcoming week. Times TBD.

Great day to tune us in. We’ve got lots of features on tap for today, but we still spend the majority of our 24-hour continuous cycle on wide Open Stream under the watchful eye of The Music Mermaid. And did I mention that we’re totally free of charge?

We Leap Into December With Neil Young, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The (Young) Rascals, Thursday, December 1, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We are in the final month of what has certainly been an eventful 2022 if nothing else, and we kick it off in style with some great programming. But fear not, we always have more Open Stream than we do planned music and that is by design!

Here are your tasty musical tidbits for today:

10:00 a.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Neil Young

We’ve got the final airing of our featured artist in this series on Saturday, but you can tune in today and hear Neil’s musical contribution to music as a member of CSNY, Buffalo Springfield and as a solo artist collaborating with bands like The International Harvesters, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and his longtime stand-by, Crazy Horse.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival

We’re also winding down on this week’s AOW by Creedence. Our final airing of this will also be on Saturday, time still TBD. This was but one of three CCR album releases in 1969 alone, a musical tour de force.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The (Young) Rascals

We wish a very happy birthday to the great Felix Cavaliere, the heart and soul of The Rascals, certainly one of the best bands during the best musical time of my life. It is only fitting that they occupy the spotlight as we close out Thursday’s programming.

We’re on the downslide to the weekend, folks, and life is way too short to listen to bad music. There’s no bad music here, we promise. We’ve got the first generation of classic rock n’ roll artists, those who inspired them, and those they have inspired. We’re on 24/7 without interruption and at no cost to you. Your money’s absolutely no good here. When you take the profit motive out, everything is better.