Tag: Ray Charles

On Thursday It’s the Pioneers of Rock & Roll, a Townes Van Zandt ‘Spotlight,’ and The Everly Brothers, October 16, 2025

Good morning, musicologists and lovers of rock & roll! We start off with ‘The Founders’ EP, those who pioneered the evolution of rock & roll, then it’s on to Townes Van Zandt and The Everly Brothers, a duo that exerted considerable influence over The Beatles and others.

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Founders: Various Artists

We kick it off with those who pioneered the art of rock & roll, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & His Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Townes Van Zandt

We spend some of the afternoon with a singer-songwriter who is the only one to be mentioned in the same breath as a guy named Bob Dylan, including by Dylan himself. His compositions are considered masterpieces of American songwriting.

8:00 p.m. The Everly Brothers Live at Royal Albert Hall, London, UK, September 22, 1983 NEW!

Billed as ‘The Reunion Concert,’ this would be the first time the dynamic duo played together in over a decade. It would be a reunion that would endure until their deaths. The Everly Brothers exerted considerable influence over The Beatles and many others who came after them, including a guy named Tom Petty.

We’re here 24/7 and, before, in between and after our programming, we deliver the best music on the planet as The Music Mermaid is responsible for rotating more than 27,000 individual files. Just hit that button below to see for yourselves.

The Founders!

At Midweek It’s ‘The Founders,’ Live Bonnie Raitt, and a Buddy Holly ‘Spotlight’ Feature, On Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to the midweek! Today we start by paying tribute to the pioneers of rock and roll, the founding fathers and mothers!

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Founders: Various Artists

We start off the day with the musicians who made it all possible, including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & His Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, and more!

4:00 p.m. Bonnie Raitt Live at The Troubadour, W. Hollywood, CA, February 15, 1972

This afternoon, we’ve got some early Bonnie Raitt at an iconic musical location where many of her generation graced the stage early in their careers.

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

Speaking of rock and roll pioneers, we close with a singer-songwriter whose music influenced so many musicians, including The Beatles.

We’re here and we’re totally free. We run no advertising. We ask for no personal information. Before, in between, and after our programming, we run our big, wide Open Stream of more than 27,000 songs. Just hit the button below.

The Button!

It’s Louisiana Blues, a Delbert McClinton ‘Spotlight,’ and Live Freddie King on Tuesday Bluesday, September 2, 2025

Good morning, bluesologists and welcome to Tuesday Bluesday. We start with our Louisiana Blues EP, then it’s on to Delbert McClinton and Freddie King live in Texas.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We begin with the music of 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 Turna, Big Boy Myles, Little Walter, Mary Butler, Erline Harris, Marcia Ball, Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Delbert McClinton

We spend some time this afternoon with singer, songwriter, muliti-instrumenalist, and electric bluesman Delbert McClinton.

8:00 p.m. Freddie King Live at January Sound Studios, Dallas, TX, March 31, 1975

We close out Tuesday Bluesday with a soundboard recording of The Texas Cannonball that was broadcast live on KZEW 98 FM in Dallas.

We’re here 24/7 and we’re totally free. Before, in between, and after our programming, we give you our big, wide Open Stream. Just hit the button below.

Tuesday Bluesday!

On Sunday, It’s ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul,’ a Livingston Taylor ‘Spotlight’ Feature and Live Emmylou Harris, August 24, 2025

Good morning, musicologists. It’s Sunday Funday as we open up with five hours of uninterrupted soul and R & B across all music labels, not just Motown!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

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

We start off with five uninterrupted hours of soul and R & B from 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, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Ann Peebles, Al Green, and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Livingston Taylor NEW!

He may not have the universal appeal of Sweet Baby James, but Livingston Taylor is a fine multi-instrumentalist and folk singer famous and loved here in Boston and the New England area. Today he’s in our ‘Spotlight.’

8:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris & The Desert Rose Band Live at The Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, CA, August 3, 1986

Tonight we close with Emmylou and her friends from the Desert Rose Band, a fine country- rock band founded in 1985 by Chris Hillman, Herb Pederson, and John Jorgenson.

We’re here 24/7. The sun never sets in The Mermaid Lounge. We’re totally free, and we’re playing you the best music on the planet! The button is below.

Sunday Funday!

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!

On Tuesday It’s the Louisiana Blues, a Joanne Shaw Taylor ‘Spotlight,’ & Tedeschi Trucks Live at Red Rocks, July 29, 2025

Good morning and welcome to Tuesday Bluesday! We’ve got five hours of Louisiana blues, a new ‘Spotlight’ featuring Joanne Shaw Taylor, and Tedeschi Trucks!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

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

We start the day in Louisiana with 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, Little Walter, Mary Butler, Erline Harris, Marcia Ball, Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Joanne Shaw Taylor NEW!

From Louisiana blues to British blues-rock with Joanne Shaw Taylor, who was discovered by Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics when she was just 16 years old. Since then, she’s been a repeat winner at the British Blues Awards. Today she’s ‘In The Spotlight’ here.

8:00 p.m. Tedeschi Trucks Band Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, August 30, 2012

The blues-rock vibes continue with a great performance by the Tedeschi Trucks Band at Red Rocks, the premier blues-rock band on the planet.

We’re here 24/7 at no charge and without commercial interruption. We play the best music on the planet. See for yourselves. All you have to do is hit the button below.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

Thursday Brings Our Epic Soul/R&B EP, a Harry Nilsson ‘Spotight’ Feature, and The Byrds Live Reunion, On July 24, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome back as we prepare for high heat indices here for the next couple of days. But we’re cool here in The Mermaid Lounge, and so are the musical vibes.

Here’s your Thursday musical lineup:

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

We start off with five hours of uninterrupted soul and R & B from Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, TheFour Tops, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Jimmy Ruffin, 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, Sam Cooke, Edwin Starr, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Ann Peebles, Al Green, and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Harry Nilsson

Ah, yes. Nilsson (as he was usually called) was one of the most interesting singer-songwriters on the planet; a true entertainer who experimented with wild vocal overdubs, and infusions of Caribbean sounds. He was another of the artists of his generation who also returned to the Great American Songbook. He was wildly popular in the seventies, and he died far too young at the age of 52, but his legend lives on.

8:00 p.m. The Byrds Live at The Boarding House, San Francisco, CA, February 9, 1978

This was dubbed The Reunion Concert as it reunited Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and Gene Clark. Of course, David Crosby made a surprise appearance, and reunited one of the greatest bands on the planet.

Once again, we’re here in The Lounge delivering the best music on the planet at no charge and with absolutely no commercial interruption. Tune us in. You can see for yourselves. The button is below.

The Button.

Sunday It’s Live John Hiatt in Between ‘The Founders’ EP, and a Little Richard ‘Spotlight’ Feature, On July 13, 2025

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to The Mermaid Lounge. Today we jump into action with the artists who pioneered rock and roll, as well as rock and roll icon Little Richard. In between, it’s a bit of live John Hiatt.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Founders: Various Artists

Rock and roll was born of the blues and country music, pioneered by artists like Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & His Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, and more! You’ll hear them all today.

4:00 p.m. John Hiatt Live at The Bottom Line, New York, NY, October 7, 1988

This afternoon we feature an underappreciated artist, a man called a songwriter’s songwriter. He is a Nashville hall of famer and his music has been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Bruce Springsteen and many more. Give him a listen this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Little Richard

There’s not enough we can say about Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard. He was like a stick of dynamite who laid the foundation for rock and roll. This incredible singer, songwriter and pianist influenced the music and culture of America for seven decades. We put him squarely ‘In the Spotlight’ this evening.

It’s Sunday and it’s a day of rest. Sit back and enjoy the best music on the planet. We’ve got it. What we don’t have is commercial advertising or DJ’s who chat endlessly. See for yourselves. The button is below.

The Button.

On Monday, Monday It’s The Roches, the ‘A Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, and Dr. John Live at Ronnie Scott’s, June 23, 2025

Good morning, workers! We’re back to the work week once again. We’ve got an eclectic program today encompassing folk-rock, soul and R & B, and the N’Awlins style of Dr. John!

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

9:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Roches

The Roches were the quintesenntial female folk-rock band. Their star should have shone much brighter than it did. Today we make sure it shines bright as we start off with The Roches ‘In The Spotlight.’

1:00 p.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

The soul and R & B greats get us through the afternoon, including 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, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Fontella Bass, and more!

8:00 p.m. Dr. John at Ronnie Scott’s, London, UK, January 7-14, 1996

We close out with the unique sound of Dr. John during a residency at Ronnie Scott’s in London!

There’s nobody quite like Dr. John, the Nitecrawler with the unique Louisiana sound and vibe that spanned six decades. He is certainly a Mermaid Lounge favorite.

We’re on 24/7 and all that stuff. We’re free. We don’t run commercial advertising, and we have not one thing to sell you. We’re all about the music. The button is below.

Monday, Monday.

On Sunday It’s ‘The Founders,’ a New Playlist Called ‘Ladies of The Canyon,’ and a Beach Boys ‘Spotlight’ In Memory of the Brilliant Brian Wilson, June 15, 2025

Good morning, musicologists! We’ve got a huge day today as we expand our women’s playlist collection, and pay tribute to one of the most incredible songwriters in pop music history as we pay tribute to Brian Wilson.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Founders: Various Artists

We take a trip in The Wayback Machine to pay homage to the innovators and pioneers of rock and roll, including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & His Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, and more!

4:00 p.m. Ladies of The Canyon: Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and Joan Baez NEW!

While working on ‘Festival Week’ recently, I found some info on social media and someone asked if these three were ‘friends.’ Turns out, they were. In fact all three ladies spent time in Laurel Canyon perfecting their craft. That’s when I decided I’d make this playlist and call it ‘Ladies of The Canyon,’ which also happens to be the name of a Joni Mitchell album.

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

Suffice it to say that Brian Wilson was the genius and force behind The Beach Boys, a man with incredible musical vision and compositional skills. For me, and for many others, Pet Sounds was the moment when we realized his genius. However, when I went back after hearing Pet Sounds, I realized it didn’t start there. It certainly didn’t end there either. Brian Wilson passed on last week, and today we pay him tribute.

‘No Kings’ was massive, invigorating, and inspiring yesterday. We cannot let up. However, today I’m rejuvenating myself with some music as we prepare for the next round of the fight. We’re here 24/7. We’re totally free. We’re without commercial interruption. We play the best damned music on the planet. The button is below.

The Button.