This week’s journey comes to a close with Volume 3 of The Ultimate Mixtape, the final chapter in My Weekly Mixtape’s 100th episode celebration.

To mark the milestone, I asked 65 different people — previous guests, friends of the show, and the Patreon Mixtapers — one timeless question:

If you could choose one song — from any genre or era — to be preserved in a time capsule for future generations… which song would you choose, and why?

Across three episodes, I’ve taken all 65 of those answers and curated them into a fully sequenced mixtape, paying attention to flow, dynamics, and the way songs speak to each other when placed side by side — just like we used to do when mixtapes actually mattered.

Volume 3 features the final 25 selections, bringing the project to its conclusion and completing The Ultimate Mixtape from start to finish.Whether you’ve been listening since Volume 1 or you’re discovering this series right now, thanks for being part of the celebration — and welcome to The Ultimate Mixtape.

Guests appearing in Vol. 3 (in no particular order): Guy Fletcher of Dire Straits, Joe Bonamassa, Desmond Child, Ed Toth of The Doobie Brothers, Walter Trout, Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Nick Niespodziani & Peter Olson of Yacht Rock Revue, Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big, Kevin “Sonny” Gullage, Emily Wolfe, Jax Hollow, Sean Faust, Wolfgang Valbrun, Carrie Cunningham, Jesse Jackson of Set Lusting Bruce, Eric Senich of the Van Halen News Desk / Booked on Rock Podcast, Jessica Ann Catena of Music Notes With Jess, Bobby Schultz of Effin’ Cultured, Mac Wolf of The Ugly American Werewolf In London Rock Podcast, Jason Whissell of It’s Not That Bad & There Can Only Be One Podcasts, friends of the show Jimmy Mitchell & Bob Spear, two more incredible Patreon Mixtapers: David Lee Smith & Philip Bergman, and last (but certainly not least!) a guest appearance from Paul Williams!

🎙️ Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform—and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review to help more music fans find the show! Then, scroll down to hear all of the songs discussed in this episode. 👇

Alicia Keys – Fallen (Carrie Cunningham)

BB King – The Thrill Is Gone (Joe Bonamassa)

Jeff Buckley – Lover, You Should’ve Come Over (Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters)

Mayer Hawthorne – Her Favorite Song (Jessica Ann Catena of Music Notes With Jess)

Sade – No Ordinary Love (Desmond Child)

Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (Nick Niespodziani of Yacht Rock Revue)

The Beach Boys – Don’t Worry Baby (Peter Olson of Yacht Rock Revue)

Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling (Guy Fletcher of Dire Straits)

Burt Bacharach (feat. Hal David & Dionne Warwick) – Alfie (Walter Trout)

Brian Stokes Mitchell – The Impossible Dream (The Quest) (Bobby Schultz of Effin’ Cultured)

Pat Metheny Group – The First Circle (Ed Toth of The Doobie Brothers)

Jacques Brel – Ne Me Quitte Pas (Wolfgang Valbrun)

Erik Satie – Gnossienne: No. 1 (Jax Hollow)

Haydn Quartet – In The Evening By The Moonlight (Patreon Mixtaper Philip Bergman)

The Earls – Remember Then (Friend of the Show Jimmy Mitchell)

Allen Toussaint – Freedom For The Stallion (Kevin “Sonny” Gullage)

The Beach Boys – God Only Knows (Jesse Jackson of Set Lusting Bruce & Eric Senich of the Van Halen News Desk / Booked on Rock Podcast)

The Beatles – If I Fell (Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, Sons of Apollo, Talas, etc)

Led Zeppelin – Ramble On (Emily Wolfe)

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Voodoo Child (Patreon Mixtaper David Lee Smith)

Prince – Purple Rain (Friend of the Show Bob Spear)

Queen – The Show Must Go On (Jason Whissell of It’s Not That Bad & There Can Only Be One)

Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb (Mac of The Ugly American Werewolf In London Rock Podcast)

Van Morrison – Into The Mystic (Brian Colburn)

Paul Williams – Rainbow Connection (Sean Faust w/ a clip from my interview with Paul Williams)