Tuesday Bluesday Falls On Mardi Gras This Year, So We’re on Full Blast Louisiana Music Programming Today, March 4, 2025

Good morning, bluesologists! This year, Tuesday Bluesday falls on Mardi Gras, so we are celebrating with all Louisiana programming today. Join us for the celebrfation!

Here’s your Louisiana musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Best of Louisiana Blues: Various Artists

We kick it all off with five hours of uninterrupted Louisiana blues, from the bayou and beyond featuring Ray Charles, Lillian Glinn, Slim Harpo, Roy Brown, Fats Domino, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Rodney Harris, Roosevelt Sykes, Shirley & Lee, Papa Lightfoot, Guitar Slim, Annie Laurie, Fats Matthews, Big Joe Turner, Big Boy Myles, Erline Harris, Marcia Ball, Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas and more

4:00 p.m. Irma Thomas Live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA, April 11, 1976

Though she never achieved the commercial success of Aretha Franklin or Etta James, Irma Thomas was certainly most worthy of fame. Today she retains the title of The Soul Queen of New Orleans.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Fats Domino

The birth of rock n’ roll came from both country music and the blues. Fats Domino was certainly a primary architect of the rock n’ roll genre. In fact, we’re not sure anyone transitioned the blues to rock n’ roll quite like Fats Domino who, by the way, was a favorite of a band called The Beatles.

We’re here. We’re free. We’re on 24/7. We don’t track you or require personal information. We don’t ask for a subscription or a credit card. We’re anti-capitalist. The button is below. Celebrate with us today.

Tuesday Bluesday!

We Kick Off August With Our ‘Ladies Sing The Blues’ EP, the Second Airing of Our AOW From Carl Perkins & Friends, and Some ‘Live’ Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac in NOLA, August 1, 2023

Good morning, Bluesologists. We kick off a brand new month with a Tuesday Bluesday and this one features our newest multi-artist EP called ‘Ladies Sing The Blues’.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Sing The Blues: Various Artists

This is our newest EP dedicated to the women of the blues, some pioneers, some who push the boundaries and some who simply pay homage to the genre. You’ll hear Billie Holliday, Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Koko Taylor, Ellen McIlwaine, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Marcia Ball, Susan Tedeschi, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, Shaun Murphy, Angela Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Go Cat Go! by Carl Perkins & Friends

This is the second spin for this fine group effort. Carl’s friends include Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson and more!

7:00 p.m. Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Live at The Warehouse, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 30, 1970

The original Fleetwood Mac was a flat-out blues band, and the were awesome under Peter Green’s leadership. Tonight we have them live from The Warehouse in New Orleans, a great place to hear ‘live’ blues.

Tuesday Bluesday is a popular day around these parts. Why not join a worldwide group of audiophiles and listen to some great music today? We’re on 24/7 totally free of charge and with no commercial interruption!

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

We’re Heading to the Weekend With Our ‘Ode To Morning’ EP, Our AOW Tribute to Townes Van Zandt, and Allen Toussaint In the Spotlight, Thursday, February 9, 2023

Good morning, folks! On Sunday we had our EP about the night time being the right time. Today we’ve got our ‘Ode To Morning’ EP, along with our Townes Van Zandt tribute AOW and the great New Orleans R & B master, Allen Toussaint.

Here’s Thursday’s lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Poet, A Tribute To Townes Van Zandt, Various Artists

We’re back with our AOW, this time in a fairly early morning airing for our listeners outside the U.S. You’ll hear John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffith and others singing the great songs of one of America’s premier songwriters.

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

Today we have our ode to the sunrise, and it’s certainly a beautiful one here outside of Boston, although they are predicting rain for later today. You will hear Joni Mitchell, The Move, Fleewood 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. In the Spotlight: The Music of Allen Toussaint

Some of the greatest music comes out of the city of New Orleans, and Allen Toussaint was certainly a great music ambassador from the city. A musician, songwriter, arranger and producer, Toussaint was a legendary figure in New Orleans R & B from the 1950’s to the end of the century. Many recorded his compositions and he produced hundreds of songs, including Right Place, Wrong Time by his good friend Dr. John, and Lady Marmalade by LaBelle.

It’s always Black History Month here in The Mermaid Lounge, but we’ll be picking up the pace even more as we move through the month of February, so keep us dialed in. We’re totally free 24/7 with no commercial advertising. What’s not to love?

Just Push Play, Baby.

Welcome to Tuesday Bluesday With Gov’t Mule, Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth, and James Cotton, June 7, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! We’ve got a full slate of da blues today. Even our AOW is bluesy today. Gov’t Mule has been included now in our standard rotation, and they open the day In the Spotlight!

***Gov’t Mule is Warren Haynes, Matt Abst, Danny Louis and Jorgen Carlsson***

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Gov’t Mule NEW!

We’ve featured ‘live’ Gov’t Mule on a Tuesday Bluesday not long ago, but now they’re airing it out In the Spotlight. We’ve added them to our standard rotation, and we’ve got plenty of ‘live’ mule in the hopper for the future. Does it get any better?

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Living With the Animals by Mother Earth

This is our second airing of this fine blues effort by the amazing Tracy Nelson and her early band, Mother Earth. Don’t miss it.

7:00 p.m. James Cotton Live at Antoine’s, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 1987

You can seek, but sometimes you simply cannot find. We’ve searched high and low to put a date on this particular James Cotton performance, but we’ve not been able to nail it down to a day. We figure July 1987 is about as close as we’re getting. Either way, we know it happened, and you will too if you tune in tonight.

It’s a great Tuesday Bluesday here in the lounge. It’s what we here call the full magilla. Before, in between and after, we’ve got our wide Open Stream to get you through life’s 24-hour onslaught. What more could you ask for. Oh, yeah, we’re totally free 24/7. No subscription required. That’s why we simply say, tune us in.

Tuesday Bluesday!

It’s Another Tuesday Bluesday With the Best of Chicago Blues, Our Bluesy AOW from Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder, and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Live from NOLA, May 17, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! We’ve got a great line-up for you today. It’s a total blues Tuesday as our Album of The Week by Taj Mahal with Ry Cooder fits the bill nicely.

***Today we’ve got the original blues version of Fleetwood Mac live from NOLA!***

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

11:00 a.m. The Best of Chicago Blues: Various Artists

This one is due for expansion and that should be completed by the next airing. On this day, you’ll hear Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Lowell Fulson, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Sonny Boy Williamson, Magic Slim, Son Seals, and more!

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Get On Board, Taj Mahal with Ry Cooder

The second airing of this great album. After 56 years, Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder reunite for a tribute album to blues legends Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

7:00 p.m. Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Live at The Warehouse, New Orleans, February 1, 1970

This is undoubtedly the preferred version of Fleetwood Mac here in The Mermaid Lounge. Today we’ve got them live from The Warehouse in New Orleans. Don’t miss it.

As always, a great day to tune us in. Every Tuesday is Bluesday here, no exceptions. We’re free. We do not run advertising. We do not ask for a “subscription,” a credit card, or your personal information. We’re all about the music. What’s not to love, I ask.

Tuesday Bluesday

Tuesday Bluesday Brings You Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton & B.B. King, and Our AOW, August 3, 2021

Good Morning, Bluesologists! It is, once again, Tuesday Bluesday here in The Mermaid Lounge and we have some excellent programming for you, including music from the original Fleetwood Mac.

***Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac is not today’s Fleetwood Mac. It was a blues band.***

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday line-up:

11:00 a.m. Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Live at The Warehouse, New Orleans, January 31-February 1, 1970

Indeed, the rumors are true: The original Fleetwood Mac wasn’t a pop-rock band. That happened with the departure of Peter Green and the addition of Buckingham/Nicks. The original Fleetwood Mac was a blues band, led by Peter Green. We have the original band live from The Warehouse in New Orleans, recorded over a two-day period.

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Downhill From Everywhere by Jackson Browne

The second airing of this week’s Album of The Week, which just happens to be a brand new album by singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. He has remained true to himself over five decades in the music business. His message remains the same, and he delivers it with the same passion as he always has, but this time with the perspective that time is running out. That’s why we love him here.

7:00 p.m. Eric Clapton & B.B. King: Riding With The King

Two blues masters here, and the results are totally pleasing to the ears. This is actually what we should call ‘Not Our Album of The Week’ as it was their first collaboration, released in 2000. It won the Grammy for the Best Traditional Blues Album, reached number one on Billboard’s Top Blues Albums, and was certified multi-platinum in the U.S.

As always, we’ll close by telling you it’s an excellent day to give us a listen here on #BecomeUngovernable Radio. We are totally ungovernable and outside the system. We cost you nothing. We run 24/7 uninterrupted by advertising. And we do not buy any of our music from either Amazon or Apple. Believe it or not, there are other places to buy music.

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Dr. John In the Spotlight, Our ‘All About Blue’ Playlist, and our Album of The Week Grace The Airwaves, Thursday, July 8, 2021

Good Morning, Musicologists! Here we are on a cloudy Thursday awaiting the blowback from tropical storm Elsa. But in the meantime, we’ve got some great programming going on.

***Dr. John, New Orleans’ Nite Tripper, is In the Spotlight today!***

Here’s your line-up:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Dr. John

Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr., also affectionately known as Dr. John, spent sixty years in the music business, both as a solo artist and a well-respected studio musician. Today, he’s in our spotlight.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Angel Dream by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty’s legendary music status lives on beyond his passing, thanks to the genius of Ryan Ulyate, his bandmates, his daughters and his wife. This reimagination of the She’s The One soundtrack on its 25th anniversary includes four never-before-released songs. Don’t miss it.

7:00 p.m. All About Blue: Various Artists

Another of our fun playlists that we haven’t heard for a bit includes the word ‘blue’ in the title or the lyrics (or both). You’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Allman Brothers Band, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, The Beatles, Fats Domino, Mudcrutch, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan, Badfinger, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and more!

Tune us in, people. You will not regret it. We are free and ask for no credit card or personal information. We do not accept advertising. With the exception of an occasional station I.D., the music is uninterrupted. What are you waiting for?

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Today From The Mermaid Lounge, Leon Russell Live, Our NOLA Tribute Continues With Dr. John, and Tom Rush’s Album of The Week, Thursday, February 18, 2021

Good Morning, Musicologists! We’ve got a great line-up today here from The Mermaid Lounge as we continue our musical tribute to New Orleans and its artists.

***Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr. Also known as Dr. John.***

Here’s today’s line-up:

11:00 a.m. Leon Russell Live at Long Beach Arena, August 27, 1972

Leon is a legend. In addition to his solo career, he teamed up with many artists over his sixty-year career, including George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones. His genres covered the spectrum, including country, rock, folk, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, and the Tulsa Sound. Today we have him live from Long Beach, California.

3:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Dr. John UPDATED!

Speaking of legends, today’s New Orleans entry is Dr. John, the Nite Tripper, a guy who was so influential that one of the Muppets was modeled after him. No lie. He wrote his first song at the age of 14, and his musical hero was Professor Longhair. In addition to his solo career, he was a much sought-after session musician, playing with Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Van Morrison, and Maria Muldaur. You can learn more about the great Dr. John right here.

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Take a Little Walk With Me by Tom Rush

This makes it a Legends Trifecta because our Album of The Week makes it a third musical legend whose career spanned sixty years. Tom Rush is credited with ushering in the era of the singer-songwriter, and rightfully so. This is his second album for Elektra, and was released in 1966.

You really ought to be tuning us in. Seriously. We’re free. We require no credit card, no personal information, and we allow absolutely no advertising. In fact, we are not-for-profit. We make no money. We are sharing our personal music collection with you. For free. Just click the link below.

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It’s Another (Mostly) Open Stream Wednesday EXCEPT For One Great New Orleans Playlist, On February 17, 2021

Good Morning, fellow music lovers! Here we are on our usual (mostly) Open Stream Wednesday. But we do have an amazing playlist for you today called the Down in N’Awlins Playlist. It offers just a hair (like, one second) over four hours of authentic music from one of great music centers in the world (in my humble musical opinion).

***We’ve got four hours of great New Orleans music for you today!***

Here’s what you’ll hear!

12:00 p.m. Down in N’Awlins Playlist: Various Artists UPDATED!

We have only one playlist for you today, and it’s a pretty amazing eclectic collection of all sounds New Orleans and Louisiana, from Cajun-Zydeco to the blues. We’ve also updated it from last year’s version to keep it fresh and to reflect music we’ve hunted for over the past year. Here are some of the people you’ll hear:

BeauSoleil
Clifton Chenier
Allen Toussaint
Kermit Venable
Dr. John
The Neville Brothers (together and solo)
Professor Longhair
Tony Joe White
Antoine “Fats” Domino
Irma Thomas (The Soul Queen of New Orleans)
Lucinda Williams
Queen Ida
Jerry Lee Lewis
Chance Bushman & Friends
The Daywalkers
The Boogaloo Swamis

Some of the people on this list I discovered on my trips to New Orleans. The Neville Brothers, for example, I saw at the world-renown venue called Tipitinas on one of my earliest business trips to the city.

I discovered The Daywalkers on a vacation trip I took in 2014 at one of Bourbon Street’s most famous venue called The Cat’s Meow. I spent the day driking Tito’s vodka and just having a blast with the music. I discovered another band on that same trip at a great restaurant called Cafe Sbisa, which has sadly closed temporarily due to COVID-19. The band’s name is Chance Bushman & Friends. By the way, they also make a great Bacon Bloody Mary for the day after.

One band, however, I discovered right here in the Boston area; in Somerville, Massachusetts, to be exact. The Boogaloo Swamis were as good a Cajun-Zydeco band as anything you can hear in New Orleans because they genuinely loved the music. It was a craft to them. We’d spend every Friday night at a great place called Johnny D’s Uptown just partying with the Swamis. Great food. Great Drinks. (And a great Sunday Blues Brunch as well.) The family-owned venue rocked for 47 years. It finally closed for good in 2016, but it remains one of the great Boston-area music venues of all time. Great memories. I went on a hunt for Boogaloo Swamis music. I found some. I have some in vinyl form that I will send out for conversion to mp3’s over the next couple of months, but I did have some in CD form which have already been converted and added to the radio station. You’ll hear some of it today, and it has also been added to the general rotation.

Please tune us in. We’re sure you’ll love this playlist. It begins at noon.

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Celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans 2021 Style

It’s a rough year for a lot of tradition. This year in New Orleans, all of the Mardi Gras parades have been cancelled due to COVID-19, I’ve been to New Orleans many times over the years. In fact, in a former life, I traveled there yearly for The Pittsburgh Conference. In spite of its name, the conference was always held in NOLA. Generally speaking, it was after Mardi Gras week, and I nearly always took a week vacation after the business was over.

***A New Orleans street musician, photographed during my trip in 2014***.

One of the best things about New Orleans is the street music. It’s everywhere, and it doesn’t have to be during Mardi Gras week either. It’s a daily tradition in New Orleans, as are the Jazz Funerals, which I got to witness a few times during my stay.

Although this year’s Mardi Gras festivities are cancelled, the party hearty people of New Orleans have continued the tradition in a very creative manner — by turning their homes into Mardi Gras floats. We’d like to share some of those photos with you today.