Richard McCorkell
Richard McCorkell is the host of the Rise and Shine program. He started in December 2023. His first day as an official announcer was Christmas Day. Richard is also an assistant in the Music Department at The Classical Station. Ever since 2005, when he moved into the region from the Philadelphia area, he had WCPE 89.7 programmed on his car stereo. He also listened to it often when he was at work or home. It was his go-to radio station.
Richard has had many years of TV and audiovisual experience. Both in front of the camera and mic and behind the scenes as a producer, director, editor and engineer. He has hosted and produced a number of TV shows in the NC region for a number of years. Richard has a broad spectrum of music he loves, from the Beatles to Progressive Rock to Jazz. His favorite composer is Richard Wagner. He is also a fan of sacred and secular music of the Medieval and Renaissance periods. He enjoys modern composers for films such as Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore and John Williams. Brian Eno is an artist whose philosophy and approach inspires his own musical and creative endeavors.
Richard has been playing guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion since he was 12. He attended a few Summer courses at Berklee College of Music in Boston as a teenager. For roughly 25 years, he was a professional musician, touring North America as a performer and entertainer in various capacities. He continues to produce, compose and perform music and sound design for video games, TV, internet and music projects. Also, together with his wife, he composes and performs worship music for their ministry where they both co-pastor in the Raleigh/Durham, NC region.