Richard Ray | Colorado Public Radio

Richard Ray

CPR Classical Contributor

Since Retirement from CPR Classical
Since retiring as the CPR morning show host in 2017, I’ve quit getting up at 2am, took a bucket list solo bicycle ride from the west coast to Montana, hiked the coast of Wales with my wife, spent hours every day walking with our Australian Shepherd Woodrow as well as taking more naps than I ever thought possible. But my main focus remains reading great books and listening to classical music. In fact my love of the music has grown even stronger these last few years thanks in large part to CPR classical’s great programming. I miss my friends at Colorado Public Radio but remain a supporter and a superfan.

Education:
The usual places. Mom. Dad. Midwestern public schools. A couple of universities, a broadcast school, countless libraries, bookstores and most importantly, a lifelong interest in learning about and listening to music.

Professional background:
Richard’s journey to Colorado Public Radio is an interesting one. He got his start in radio in 1972 at a CBS affiliate in Missoula and after a stop over in Albuquerque, he arrived in Colorado just in time to join the team putting Boulder’s KBCO on the air in 1977. After 16 years as the mid-day DJ and Sunday night jazz show host, he accepted an entirely different challenge. In 1993 he became the program director of a children’s radio station in Denver, (Kid Radio), followed by a couple of years as the production director at 96.5 The Peak.

Why I got into radio:
I grew up in a small town in northern Iowa and fell in love with radio listening to my little transistor picking up AM stations late at night from far away places like Chicago and Oklahoma City. Story telling and music are still magic to me. Radio is indeed the most visual medium.

How I ended up at CPR:
I’ve been listening to Colorado Public Radio since the early 1980s. In 1998 I had a chance to join the Classical Public Radio Network while it was still in its formative period. In July 2008 I was offered the opportunity to host an afternoon music program. I love the music, the audience, and the mission of Colorado Public Radio. As Mister Gershwin said in his song, “Who could ask for anything more?”

Music
Albums that revolutionized how I hear and appreciate Brahms symphonies
Retired CPR Classical host Richard Ray can’t stop listening to and sharing about classical music, especially when it comes to new recordings. His newest review talks about big ideas and subtle details.
By Richard Ray
Music
‘Clarity’ in Honeck’s new Brahms recording makes it a 2021 standout
Why on earth do we need another recording of Johannes Brahms’ Fourth Symphony? Retired CPR Classical host and superfan Richard Ray explains why this one surprised him.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Richard Ray Looks Back On A ‘Wild Ride’ Of A Radio Career
Richard Ray is retiring. Help us celebrate his career by sharing your memories of his time on the airwaves.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Miles Davis and Gil Evans defied genres with ‘Sketches of Spain’
A look back at a legendary interpretation of Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.”
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
The composer behind Bugs Bunny introduced a generation to classical music
A salute to Carl Stalling and the 'Merrie Melodies' he helped bring to life.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
What Wynton Marsalis taught my son
My son never became a professional musician, but he learned important lessons from an early encounter with the brilliant musician.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Music, memory and middle age
Favorite songs or symphonies actually mean more to me now than when I first discovered them years ago.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Watch: The Piano Guys tackle Batman’s theme music over the years
The group's latest video looks at the soundtracks of three generations of the Caped Crusader.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Finding the DNA of Ravel and Chopin in the music of Bill Evans
Sometimes the boundaries between jazz and classical break down.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Beethoven’s late string quartets: They sometimes clear the room, but I love them
Most music fans have at least one group, composer or piece they adore that their friends and family won’t listen to -- or, more to the point, can’t stand. That’s how I feel about Beethoven’s late string quartets.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Brahms put me to sleep – until I heard this
The recent release featuring conductor Riccardo Chailly shows Brahms in a new light.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
A peek inside Yo-Yo Ma’s playhouse music party with the Silk Road Ensemble
The cello virtuoso joins some friends for a unique jam session.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Bach to nature: You CAN believe your eyes in this amazing video
Hear (and see) 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' as you've never experienced it before.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Watch: Terror, talent and the wrong Mozart concerto
Pianist Maria Joao Pires takes the stage to play one Mozart concerto. The conductor and orchestra launch into a different one. What happens next will amaze you.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Five simple ideas to improve your enjoyment of classical music
Tips to help you fall in love with Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.
By Richard Ray
CPR Classical
Music Beyond Category
For instance, Claude Debussy was famously nasty about people referring to his music as impressionism. He wrote, “I am trying to do something different. … What the imbeciles call impressionism is a term as poorly used as possible, particularly by art critics.” Duke Ellington wasn’t fond of the term jazz.
By Richard Ray