Tag: Nina Simone

We Open The Weekend With ‘Ode To Morning,’ Then It’s a Nina Simone ‘Spotlight,’ And The Byrds Live in LA, On Saturday, June 21, 2025

Good morning, weekenders, and we welcome you! Today we open with songs praising the morning, followed by Nina Simone taking the ‘Spotlight’ and The Byrds live in L.A.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ode To Morning: Various Artists

This is a beautiful morning here in the Boston area with music being provided by Yusuf/Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, Gram Parsons, Taj Mahal, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Dan Fogelberg, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan, Badfinger, Townes Van Zandt, Pure Prairie League, Chris Hillman, and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Nina Simone

This afternoon we spend a little time with singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist, the late great Nina Simone!

8:00 p.m. The Byrds Live at The Ash Grove Music Club, Los Angeles, CA, August, 22, 1970

We close out the day’s programming with The Byrds, one of the most influential groups of the sixties and seventies, live from L.A.

We’ve arrived at the weekend, and listening to great music is the best way to spend some time enjoying it. We’ve got that covered here, and we’re on 24/7, we’re totally free, and we’re also free of commercial advertising. We’re an anti-capitalist music service. The button is below.

Ode To Morning!

The Ladies Are In Charge on Tuesday Bluesday, Then It’s Live John Mayall, and a Marcia Ball ‘Spotlight’ on June 17, 2025

Good morning, blueologists, and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday. We open with five hours of bluesy women, then it’s John Mayall live from the UK, and an interlude of swamp blues with a Marcia Ball ‘Spotlight.’

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We start off with the ladies, some of them blues legends, some those who simply respected the blues and kept the genre fresh and current. You’ll hear Billie Holiday, Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Koko Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Marcia Ball, Ellen McIlwaine, Susan Tedeschi, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, Shawn Murphy, Angela Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads, and more!

4:00 p.m. John Mayall Live at Leicester Square Theatre, London, UK, November 1, 2010

A true blues master visits us this afternoon, live from Leicester Square Theatre.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Marcia Ball

Marcia Ball is simply teriffic, an award-winning blues singer, songwriter and superb pianist whose music was described by The Boston Globe as “an irresistible celebratory blend of rollicking, two-fisted New Orleans piano, Louisiana swamp rock and smoldering Texas blues from a contemporary storyteller.” You’ll enjoy her ‘Spotlight’ feature.

We start and end the day with the ladies today, and that is always a good thing. We’re on 24/7 without commercial interruption, and with no chatty DJs to spoil the flow. The button is, as always, below!

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At Midweek We Have Two EP’s, and We Debut Our ‘We Dissent’ Volume This Afternoon, On Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Good morning, music lovers. Today we’ve got two EP’s in the cue giving you plenty of Open Stream with a theme! Our programming today includes ‘We Dissent,’ a four-hour history of protest music, very appropriate for our times.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

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

First us it songs about life on the road with Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Paul McCartney & Wings, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Birds, Asleep at The Wheel, Mudcrutch, The Traveling Wilburys, Tom Rush, Buffalo Springfield, The Guess Who, and more!

4:00 p.m. We Dissent: Various Artists NEW!

Music for our times with The Who, The Beatles, Tracy Chapman, Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, Billie Holiday, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Peter, Paul & Mary, Pete Seeger, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Buffalo Springfield, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley & The Wailers, and more!

We are anti-capitalist, freedom-loving humans here who believe we all belong and we will continue to uphold those beliefs. We’re on 24/7, there’s no commercial advertising, and there’s no subscription required. We have not waded into “politics” and we do not believe what we are saying is about “politics” as usual. Our dangerous times require us to speak out. Please join us for ‘We Dissent.’ The button is below.

WE DISSENT!

On Tuesday Bluesday the Ladies are in Charge, Then It’s Big Mama Thornton and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, May 13, 2025

Good morning, bluesologists! Did you know that Fleetwood Mac had two lives? Before the addition of Buckingham-Nicks, they were a true blues band under the leadership of the late, great Peter Green. We give you that version today, and more!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

Some blues legends and some who simply paid homage to the genre, all legitimate. You’ll hear Billie Holiday, Big Mama Thornton, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Koko Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Marcia Ball, Ellen McIlwaine, Susan Tedeschi, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, Shawn Murphy, Angela Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Big Mama Thornton

From blues to rock n’ roll, Big Mama Thornton was a pioneer. She made the first version of Lieber & Stoller’s Hound Dog. Elvis made it famous, but Big Mama Thornton had a monster hit that stayed at number one for seven weeks on the R & B charts and sold 2 million copies at a time when women (let alone black women) were an afterthought in music.

8:00 p.m. Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Live at The Warehouse, New Orleans, LA, January 30, 1970

Before Big Mac became a big pop-rock music entity, it was a blues band co-founded with John McVie by the late, great bluesman, Peter Green. That’s the version you get on Tuesday Bluesday.

Day two of another work week. We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free. No need to worry about being tracked or sent emails asking for you to buy anything. We’ve got nothing for sale. We give away great music for free. The button is below.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

On Thursday We Open With ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul,’ Then It’s Live Allman Brothers Band, and a Laura Nyro ‘Spotlight’, April 24, 2025

We’re headed toward the weekend today. It’s all downhill from here. We open with five hours of soul and R & B music, then we’ve got the Allman Brothers Band live at the Beacon and Laura Nyro ‘In the Spotlight!’

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

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

We start off with five uninterrupted hours of soul and R & B with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Carla Thomas, James Brown, The Shirelles, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, LaVern Baker, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Edwin Starr, Sam Cooke, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops and more!

4:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band Live at The Beacon Theater, New York, NY, March 10 & 11, 1992

The Brothers give yet another masterful live performance at The Beacon in NYC.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Laura Nyro

We close out the programming with a ‘Spotlight’ featuring the amazing Laura Nyro. She was a catalyst for many artists who covered her songs.

We are closer to the weekend, folks, and that means stability in a nation with a very unstable lout in office. Here in The Mermaid Lounge we play the best music on the planet and the journey is everything. The button is below.

A Little Bit O’Soul!

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.

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It’s Tuesday Bluesday With Windy City Blues, a Robert Johnson ‘Spotlight’ and the Amazing Nina Simone, March 18, 2025

It’s another Tuesday Bluesday, bluesologists, and the music is quite good. We start out with five uninterrupted hours of Chicago blues, then it’s Robert Johnson and Nina Simone!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We start out in the Windy City with Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Lowell Fulson, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Magic Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Son Seals, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Otis Spann and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Robert Johnson

Although Johnson’s recording career spanned just seven months, he is one of the most influential blues artists in history. We’ve got his music here this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Nina Simone Sings The Blues

Nina Simone’s long and storied career as a singer, songwriter and pianist has crossed many musical genres, but she can really belt out the blues. We close with her this evening.

Once again, we’re here 24/7 and we won’t cost you a thing. We don’t track. We don’t know who you are unless you write us, and that’s because we’re anti-capitalist music lovers. In these times you should know that we don’t access our files from any Trump supporters, nor will we. Ever. The button is below.

Windy City Blues!

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.

8:00 p.m. Nina Simone Live at Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, France, July 24 & 25, 1965 NEW!

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.

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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.

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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!