We Take a Trip On ‘The Psychedelic Express’, Then It’s Willie Nelson and ‘Live’ Traffic, Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We open and close the programming today with great bands from the psychedelic music era. In between, it’s outlaw Willie Nelson.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Certainly one of my favorite sixties musical genres. This EP has all the best bands of the era, plus some bands who simply pay homage to the genre. You’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, The Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Willie Nelson

Willie’s back for his second spin as our featured singer-songwriter.

We close out the psychedelic programming with the amazing Steve Winwood and Traffic, live from the Fillmore East in New York.

Sunday Brings “Late For The Sky” As Our AOW Plus A Trip On ‘The Psychedelic Express’, January 21, 2024

Good morning, music lovers. Today we begin a run of albums that turn 50 years old in 2024, and we start with a great Jackson Browne release. Then, it’s a trip back in time on ‘The Psychedelic Express’.

Here’s your musical lineup:

Our first entry into the 50 Club is a great Jackson Browne LP released on September 13, 1974. It was Browne’s third studo release, and peaked at no. 14 on Billboard’s Pop Charts. In 2020, the album was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

The album would also continue to build Jackson Browne’s legend as a premier songwriter. The title track would be used in the Martin Scorcese film Taxi Driver. Both Fountain of Sorrow and Before the Deluge would be covered by Joan Baez. For A Dancer would be covered by Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on their Western Wall album.

3:00 p.m.  The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

It’s time for a trip on The Psychedelic Express once again. You don’t need no tickets to hear The Beatles, The Chambers Brothers, Vanilla Fudge, Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

Midweek Brings a Ride On ‘The Psychedelic Express’, a Visit From John Fogerty, and ‘Live’ Badfinger, Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Good morning, psychedelic music lovers! We’re boarding ‘The Psychedelic Express’ this morning. You don’t need no stinkin’ tickets either. Just the button at the bottom of this post.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Let’s take a trip into musical psychedelia this mornng with The Beatles, The Chambers Brothers, Vanilla Fudge, The Animals, The Electric Prunes, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of John Fogerty

From Creedence to The Blue Ride Rangers, to his outstanding solo career, John Fogerty takes his second spin as our featured singer-songwriter.

8:00 p.m. Badfinger Live at The Cowtown Auditorium, St. Louis, MO, April 7, 1972

Badfinger hung around on the edges of greatness, but never quite got there. And mostly because of a really bad guy who managed them wiped them out financially (not The Beatles either). They were the one bona fide band the Apple Label signed, and they left us a bucket load of great songs.

Come on. We’re at midweek, and everything is downhill from here. We’re headed for the weekend (and I’m headed for vacation) after today. Let us help you get there!

It’s Simply Sunday With Our New AOW From the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and ‘The Psychedelic Express’ EP, August 20, 2023

We keep it pretty simple here in The Mermaid Lounge on Sundays. A couple of great programs with a lot of big, wide Open Stream. This Sunday is no different.

Get on board with today’s programming:

Paul Butterfield Blues Band is widely regarded as one of the greatest electric blues bands ever, whose contributions to the genre during the 60s and 70s cannot be denied, but it’s safe to say a lot of Butterfield’s fans were not enthralled with this release. That’s what happens when people get pidgeon-holed into doing the same thing over and over. Do I think it’s one of their best? Nope. I don’t. But I don’t regret owning it, or playing it as our AOW.

3:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Hell, if the AOW disappoints, drop a tab and tune in to The Psychedelic Express where you’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

Saturday Brings the Final Airing of Emmylou’s AOW, A Trip on ‘The Psychedelic Express’ and Bob Dylan as Our New Singer-Songwriter, May 20. 2023

Good morning, Weekenders worldwide! We have arrived (well, most of us) and the first official day of the weekend. And we’re loaded with great stuff today.

Here’s Saturday’s musical musings:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Pieces Of The Sky by Emmylou Harris FINAL AIRING!

This morning is the swan song for this great album by Emmylou Harris, which includes the beautiful Boulder To Birmingham, Emmylou’s ode to her musical mentor, Gram Parsons.

12:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

One of our favorite EP’s here in The Lounge is this great multi-artist tribute to the psychedelic music of the sixties and beyond. You’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, Electric Prunes, The Animals, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty &The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, the Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Bob Dylan NEW!

I know. You’re saying it’s about time we got to Bob. But then again, we’ve got a bit of a way to go here. We’ve still got a lot of high-profile artists coming. Arguably, the greatest songwriter of all time is featured this coming week. (Many consider Townes Van Zandt his closest competitor; he’s also on he list). Bob Dylan won a Pulitzer Prize in Literature for his songwriting skills, and he’s up at 8:00 p.m. tonight.

Yes, it’s kick back time (and no, I’m not asking for money). I mean, it’s time to kick back and enjoy the music. We’re on 24/7, we’re free of charge, and the music is free of commercial advertising of any kind. Give us a try today. You won’t regret it.

Midweek Brings a Ride On ‘The Psychedelic Express,’ Christine McVie, and ‘Live’ Steely Dan Later, Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We’re at midweek and we start off with our ‘Psychedelic Express’ EP, move on to our singer-songrwriter series, and give you some ‘live’ Steely Dan to cap off today’s programming.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Nothing like a little psychedelia to start out today’s musical journey. It’s a genre that transcends time, even though its origins began during the sixties. You’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Christine McVie

We bring the late, great Christine McVie back for a second spin as our featured singer-songwriter this afternoon.

7:00 p.m. Steely Dan Live at The National City Pavillion, Cincinnati, OH, July 13, 2008

Tonight we feature some live music from one of the greatest bands of the seventies. Back when they were big, I used to hear the rap on them was that they couldn’t reproduce their sound live and onstage. Don’t know where that came from. I never had that experience when I saw them live. Hogwash.

Get a midweek boost here with some great music, including just about five hours of mind-blowing music to get you into the afternoon. We’re on 24/7, we’re totally free, and there’s no commercial advertising. No kidding.

Today We Take a Special Trip to Old Mexico With Linda Ronstadt and Then Jump On The Psychedelic Express, Sunday, February 19, 2023

Good morning, music lovers. This is a special day here in The Mermaid Lounge as we feature the first non-rock n’ roll album by Linda Ronstadt with Canciones di Mi Padre, the largest selling non-English-speaking album in music history.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Canciones di Mi Padre by Linda Ronstadt NEW!

From the start, Linda Ronstadt was fully in control of her career, an unusual situation in the male-dominated rock world. By the the time she got around to making Canciones di Mi Padre, she had made her record label millions of dollars and was unafraid to take a stand about recording the songs that filled her childhood. People warned her that her career would tank if she made this album, but she paid no mind. From it’s release in late 1987, it was a worldwide smash. It sold 2.5 million copies in the U.S alone, making it the biggest selling non-English language album in American recording history. By 2012, it had sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Ronstadt also won the Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album at the 31st Grammy Awards. Las Canciones de mi Padre also is the only recording production that used the 3 best Mariachi bands in the world: Mariachi Vargas, Mariachi Los Camperos and Mariachi Los Galleros de Pedro Rey. In 2021, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; in 2022 it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

3:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

From mariachi to mind-bending. At mid-afternoon, we jump on The Psychedelic Express for a journey to the center of the mind with Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, the Electric Prunes, The Animals, the Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, the Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

It’s Sunday. If there’s a big guy up there, even he took the day off. It’s a day of rest. Tune in, turn on and drop out with us. It’s a no-strain affair here in The Mermaid Lounge. No cost to you. Ever. We’re on 24/7. When we aren’t running programming, we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream going courtesy of The Music Mermaid.

We Open The Week on ‘The Psychedelic Express’ EP and We’ve Got Ry Cooder ‘live’ at The Record Plant Later, Monday, July 18, 2022

Good Morning, Mind Travelers! Yesterday was our Linda Ronstadt birthday bash here, so The Psychedelic Express is a day late leaving the station. But climb on board because it’s ready to go!

The Psychedelic Express leaves the station promptly at 10:00 a.m.

Here’s your Monday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Undoubtedly one of the most fun EP’s we have here in The Mermaid Lounge as we pay tribute to this genre with Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, the Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Tommy James & The Shondells, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, The Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more! Five hours of mind-altering tunes!

7:00 p.m. Ry Cooder Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito, California, July 7, 1974

Speaking of Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder is one of her all-time favorites and she believes he’s still the best guitarist she’s ever met. If you’ve seen the Ronstadt doc The Sound of My Voice, you’ll know it’s a mutual admiration society. He’s a favorite here in The Mermaid Lounge too, and we’ve got a great performance from him at the Record Plant for you today.

Speaking of The Sound of My Voice, if you haven’t seen it yet, you should. It’s out there on YouTube. And you should tune us in today if you yearn for the days of the Summer of Love as our Psychedelic Express EP will take you back in time. Before, after and in between, we’ve got all that great wide Open Stream. Totally free of charge with no commercial interruption.

We’ve Hit The Midweek Point With ‘The Psychedelic Express’ EP and Volume Two of ‘Repeat After Me’, Wednesday, April 20, 2022

And holy weed, Batman, it’s also 4/20! Quite an appropriate day to be taking a trip on ‘The Psychedelic Express!” You also heard volume one of ‘Repeat After Me’ on Monday, so we’ve got volume two this evening, and we’re working on a third volume as well!

Get on board, musicologists! You don’t need no stinkin’ tickets!

Here’s today’s line-up:

10:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

On this fine 4/20, you’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, The Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Donovan, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Tommy James & The Shondells, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, and more!

7:00 p.m. Repeat After Me: Various Artists

Today, in volume two, you’ll hear: Trio cover Neil Young (Trio is Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt), Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sing Lucinda Williams, Joe Cocker singing The Box Tops, CCR covering Gladys Knight & The Pips, Kate Taylor sings The Four Tops, The Traveling Wilburys sing Del Shannon, Johnny Winter covering Bob Dylan, and The Beatles covering The Isley Brothers, to name several. The original plus the reboot. Tune it in.

Before, in between, and after we revert to our wide Open Stream with The Music Mermaid fully in charge. We’re totally free 24/7 with no interruptions, so get on board with us!

It’s a Laid Back Sunday Here With Our New AOW and our ‘Psychedelic Express’ EP Starting Mid-Afternoon, March 20, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We’ve got a great day on tap today with our brand new Album of The Week by John Mayall, and our trip aboard the ‘Psychedelic Express’ this afternoon!

‘The Psychedelic Express’ Leaves the Station Promptly at 3:00 p.m. EST today!

Here’s your Sunday line-up:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: The Sun Is Shining Down by John Mayall NEW!

John Mayall finally gave up the road in his 80th year, but he didn’t say anything about retirement, and that’s a very good thing because this is a great album. He has assembled a great band here and has pulled in Mike Campbell from The Heartbreakers to boot. The other very exciting guest is kick-ass violinist Scarlet Rivera, who I got to know from Bob Dylan’s Desire album, and his Rolling Thunder tour in ’75. I was so taken with her violin on Desire, that I went to see her live in concert back in the days of the Boston Music Hall.

3:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

All aboard, no tickets required. Just take a sit, and tune in, turn on, and drop out with Vanilla Fudge, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Pink Floyd, Cream, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Chambers Brothers, Donovan, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Tommy James & The Shondells,, Traffic, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Eric Burdon & War, Electric Light Orchestra, Canned Heat, Yes, Blind Faith, Doors, Country Joe & The Fish, and more!

And once again, before, in between and after we’ve got that wide Open Stream. Who knows what The Music Mermaid has up her sleeve. Tune us in and find out right now, because she’s currently in the driver’s seat!