On the heels of a new mayor sans foot in mouth disease, a Superbowl win lifting the Aints curse, and Mardi Gras with some new suits and old friends, I figured it’s time to celebrate something else, something special.

Irma Thomas’ birthday!

Born on February 18, the Sweet Queen of New Orleans continues to reign with majestic beauty and a heart of gold. So, around noontime, Ash Wednesday, I’ll be playing (at least) an hour of Irma for all of you slowly returning to your “normal” routine. We’ll go from the earliest tunes of her teens to her latest Rounder release, including some rare songs from her brief time with Chess and a gospel song or two.