Welcome to Finally Friday! We’ve Got ‘Great Beginnings’ and Then Two Great Live Shows From Linda Ronstadt and Van Morrison on August 30, 2025

Good morning, music lovers! Once again we are on the cusp of the weekend here in The Mermaid Lounge, and it’s a long weekend to boot! We start off with a great multi-artist playlist. It gets better from there.

Here’s your long-weekend lineup!

9:00 a.m. Great Beginnings: Various Artists.

It’s not an EP, but it’s oh, so close. We start off with songs that have great opening riffs from The Beatles, Elton John, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Electric Light Orchestra, Edgar Winter, The Doobie Brothers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Guess Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison, Linda Ronstadt, George Harrison and more!

3:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt Live at Rai Halle, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November 21, 1976

We give you the undisputed Queen of Rock live from Rai Halle in Amsterdam early in her illustrious career.

7:00 p.m. Van Morrison Live at The Grand Opera House, Belfast, Ireland, March 11-12, 1983

We close it out with Van “The Man” Morrison live from Belfast.

It’s a great day today here in The Lounge, partly because I have a day off from retail hell, a rare event for a Friday. And I get to listen to all this great music as I hang out here getting ready for the musical week. You should tune in too. It won’t cost you a penny, and there’s no commercial advertising…just music 24/7. No lie.

Friday Delivers The Drifters, Songs About Food and Our ‘Ode To Morning’ EP at Night. No kidding. August 23, 2024

Good morning, music lovers (and foodies also). We’ve got a great lineup on the cusp of the weekend, including a brand new Spotlight featuring The Drifters!

Here’s your musical lineup:

Here’s another one off my musical ‘to do’ list. We (luckily) pipe a sixties station in our store and I hear an awful lot of songs by this band every day. I finally got to the point where this simply had to get done. Originally assembled as the back-up band for Clyde McPhatter, The Drifters turned their fortunes into a career that spanned half a century and generated plenty of number ones. Today, they are In the Spotlight.

2:00 p.m. For Foodies Only: Various Artists

Another great multi-artist list (a shorter one) with songs about food from The Rolling Stones, Little Feat, Sam & Dave, Van Morrison, Led Zeppelin, Judy Collins, The Beatles, Steely Dan, Harry Nilsson, Cream, The Guess Who, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, The Kinks, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Eagles, The Flying Burrito Brothers and more!

7:00 p.m. Ode To Morning: Various Artists

We head into the nighttime hours with songs about the morning. Yes. But earlier in the week we opened the morning programming with songs about the night. It’s only fitting. You’ll hear Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Chapin, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan and more.

‘Friends Of Mine’ Returns, a J.D. Souther Spotlight Feature and Live Warren Zevon Awaits on Saturday, July 6, 2024

Good morning, musicologists, and welcome to the dog days of summer here in The Mermaid Lounge where the days are hot and the music is even hotter.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Friends of Mine: Various Artists

This one has been on hiatus for a few months, but it’s back and so are The Guess Who, Willie Nelson, War, The Beach Boys, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Todd Rundgren, Linda Ronstadt, Queen, REM, Simon & Garfunkel, John Prine, Carole King, Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, The Kinks, Joan Baez, The Beatles, Carly Simon, Tracy Nelson, The Byrds, Desmond Dekker, Jackson Browne, Steppenwolf, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elton John, Argent, Maria Muldaur, Otis Redding and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of John David Souther

Here’s another artist known more for his songwriting than his singing, but that’s too bad. He’s got a great voice. I’ve never seen him live myself, but I have seen him grace the stage once with Linda Ronstadt, and that was a religious experience. This playlist has a little bit of that, some of his music from Souther-Hillman-Furay, and plenty of his solo stuff.

8:00 p.m. Warren Zevon Live at Club Metro, Boston, MA, September 29, 1982

Club Metro is gone, but it does have its own Facebook page for nostalgia freaks. And Warren Zevon is gone. But his music lives on. Another great songwriter whose songs became a staple for the likes of Linda Ronstadt and others. He was struggling until she began to sing his songs, and he took it from there. One of the best.

We’ve made it to the weekend. After today, I am on hiatus from hardware hell for two full days. But we’ll be here in The Mermaid Lounge cueing up great music. All you need to do is push the button below to check it out.

Monday We Open With Leon Russell and Close With Our ‘Money Honey’ Playlist; The Wilburys Are In Between, June 10, 2024

Yes, work is back in the picture but Monday isn’t all that bad. We open with live Leon Russell and close with songs about money. In between, it’s a Traveling Wilburys Spotlight.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

Nothing like a little taste of live Leon Russell to get you going in the morning.

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Traveling Wilburys

Five friends who loved to hang out and play music together. No pressures of the road. The Traveling Wilburys never really traveled. But I’ll tell you what: They are the greatest supergroup in music history. See for yourself.

7:00 p.m. Money, Honey: Various Artists

We close it out today with a multi-artist playlist of songs about money. You’ll hear Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Guess Who, Warren Zevon, Van Morrison, Tom Waits, J. J. Cale, Slim Harpo, Chuck Berry, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, Willie Nelson, Barrett Strong and more!

Yeah, It’s Friday. And ‘It’s About Time’ Indeed, Along With a Paul Simon Spotlight and Live Neil Young & Crazy Horse, May 10, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! Welcome to Friday in The Mermaid Lounge where we break out our ‘It’s About Time’ playlist, and that’s just for starters!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. It’s About Time: Various Artists

We’re breaking this out of mothballs; almost forgot we had made it. Time is relative, at least to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Guess Who, The Doors, the J. Geils Band, Joni Mitchell, Little Feat, Canned Heat, Paul Simon, Talking Heads, Nina Simone, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, J. J. Cale, Linda Ronstadt, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Eagles, Valerie Carter, The Byrds and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Paul Simon

Paul Simon is one of the most incredible singer-songwriters of all time, over a sixty-year career both as part of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. We put him In The Spotlight where he belongs this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live at The Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA, October 22, 1978

Neil and his favorite back-up band, Crazy Horse, on the original Cortez The Killer tour. He is indeed back with Crazy Horse on his 2024 tour and they are back on Cortez The Killer, debuting a never-before-heard ‘lost verse.’ Neil Young is a musical legend and still killing it on the road like The Energizer Bunny.

We’re here with the music 24/7 at no charge to the public and with absolutely no commercial advertising. We are all about the music.

Sunday Funday Delivers ‘What’s In a Name,’ a Marshall Tucker Band Spotlight and Some Live Guess Who, April 14, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! We start out the day with songs that have names in the title, lyrics or both. Some of these folks are real; some are the result of wild imaginations.

Here’s Sunday’s musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. What’s In a Name: Various Artists

You know, until you start building these EP’s you have no appreciation of how many songs there are on any one topic. In this one you’ll hear Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Them, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Donovan, Steve Winwood, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Carly Simon, Warren Zevon, Laura Nyro, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bobbie Gentry, The Kinks, Three Dog Night, The Association, Joni Mitchell, Badfinger, Linda Ronstadt, Steely Dan, Chi Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Tony Joe White and more!

4:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Marshall Tucker Band

Love this band. Undoubtedly the best band of its genre, in our humble opinion. Saw them live several times, and they never disappointed. Today we’ve got them In the Spotlight.

8:00 p.m. The Guess Who Live at The Ambassador Theater, St. Louis, MO, May 6, 1974

And another great band, this one from Canada. Never got to see this band live, but would have loved to. We’ve got them here tonight live and we are on the hunt for even more live Guess Who.

It’s Sunday and it’s a day of rest, so why not kick your heels off and tune us in. We’re here 24/7; not just when we have scheduled programming. We circulate some of best damned music on the planet. See for yourself.

The Weekend is Here! We’ve Got “Caribou,” Our ‘Travelin’ Fever’ EP, and ‘Live’ Hot Tuna, Saturday, February 3, 2024

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m.  Album of The Week: Caribou by Elton John FINAL AIRING!

Another of our 50-year-old album club in 2024 is done. We move on to the next one on Sunday. Not telling. You’ll have to wait and see.

11:30 a.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

Being on the road is a popular musical subject. You’ll hear Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steve Miller Band, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Doors, The Eagles, Little Feat, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Byrds, Joan Baez, Asleep at The Wheel, The Traveling Wilburys, Mudcrutch, Loggins & Messina, Buffalo Springfield, Tom Rush, The Guess Who, Ray Charles, Marshall Tucker Band, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and more!

Hot Tuna Live at Sweetwater, Mill Valley, CA, January 27 & 28, 1992

This fine blues-rock band was formed in 1969 from the ashes of Jefferson Airplane by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady and, although other band members have come and gone, they have remained at the helm.

I have one more day of servitude, but you can hang out here in The Mermaid Lounge with our Music Mermaid and have a fine day. Remember, we’re on 24/7 at no charge and with absolutely no commercial interruption.

Thursday Brings Our EP About Friendship, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt & Friends, December, 28, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! Today we have songs about friends, Emmylou Harris and her AOW, and Linda Ronstadt drops by with some of her friends.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m.  Friends of Mine: Various Artists

We open with songs about friendship from The Guess Who, Willie Nelson, War, The Beach Boys, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Todd Rundgren, Linda Ronstadt, Queen, REM, Simon & Garfunkel, John Prine, Carole King, Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, The Kinks, Joan Baez, The Beatles, Carly Simon, Tracy Nelson, The Byrds, Desmond Dekker, Jackson Browne, Steppenwolf, Elton John, Maria Muldaur, Argent, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Otis Redding and more.

4:00 p.m.  Album of The Week: Evangeline by Emmylou Harris

We’re winding down on this one; Saturday will be our final airing. This would be a good time to tune this one in before it goes away.

8:00 p.m.  Linda Ronstadt & Friends: Duets and More

Linda Ronstadt drops by to close things out and brings along a few friends, like Emmylou Harris, Hoyt Axton, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Don Henley, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, James Taylor and others! Not to be missed!

Don’t know what’s going on with the weather where you are, but here we are in December and it’s raining in the mid forties. We won’t need a “January thaw” this year. But hey, we’re good rain, snow or shine. See for yourself.

Heading Toward the Weekend With the ‘Travelin’ Fever’ EP, Tom Rush, and Sir Paul McCartney, Thursday, November 2, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We are in great company here as we roll along toward the weekend.

Here’s your musical lineup:

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

There are topics, and then there are topics. There are loads of songs about life on the road and traveling in general. We’ve got them today with Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jackson Browne, Steve Miller Band, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Doors, The Eagles, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Byrds, Joan Baez, The Traveling Wilburys, Asleep at The Wheel, Mudcrutch, Loggins & Messina, Buffalo Springfield, Tom Rush, The Guess Who, Ray Charles, Marshall Tucker Band, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Merrimack County by Tom Rush

We’re winding down on this great album, so get in on it while you can. The final airing will be on Saturday, time TBD.

7:00 p.m. Paul McCartney Live at Citi Field, New York, NY, July 17-21, 2009

Tonight we close the programming with Macca recorded live at Citi Field in New York City. I never got the chance to see The Beatles live, leaving a musical hole in my life. However, I did get to see Sir Paul at Fenway Park in Boston and it was everything it was cracked up to be and then some. Tonight we have his New York performance from 2009.

We’re getting closer now. The weekend is on the horizon. And we’ve got some great new music coming up in November, including an expansion of our general rotation and some of our older playlists. Stand by.

We Have New ‘Live” Music by The Band, Bob Marley as Our Singer-Songwriter and Our ‘Foodies Only’ Playlist, Friday, October 6, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! We are now just one day away as we start out the day with a brand new-to-the-station performance by The Band. We move on from there!

Here’s Friday’s lineup:

Another great performance by a great band from day one recorded during The Band’s December 1971 one-week residency at New York’s Academy of Music. It includes songs from a New Year’s Eve performance featuring guest Bob Dylan. Not to be missed.

3:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Bob Marley FINAL AIRING!

Bob Marley takes his final turn as this week’s featured singer-songwriter. Tomorrow we’ll introduce a brand new artist to you.

8:00 p.m. Foodies Only: Various Artists

Although this is not an ‘EP’ songs about food are also a popular topic in music. I’m sure if we worked hard at this one we could turn it into an EP. But for now, you’ll hear Steely Dan, The Beatles, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Box Tops, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Mongo Santamaria, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Neil Young, The Strangeloves, The Four Tops, Judy Collins, Van Morrison, The Guess Who and more!