Working for a Living | Korby Ray ‘fell into’ radio, now airs on ‘T&A Morning Show’

Star 92.1/WAVE 104.1 on-air personality Korby Ray thought about becoming a speech therapist, but said she fell into radio. That being said, this falling-in process included a period of arduous dues-paying.

Originally from Manassas, Va., Ray garnered a bachelor’s in communications at Lander University in Greenwood. While working on her degree, she became a utility player at Sunny 103.5, a local radio station there.

“I did everything – and that’s how I paid my dues,” she said. Being a rep for clients, running the broadcasts, doing live remotes and producing commercials made her a one-woman-show. She didn’t broadcast on-air from the tiny station because all of its content was syndicated, but the learning curve was intense.

“The program director sent me into the production room and gave me about an hour to learn the software. He said he would be back and I better know what I was doing. Best boss ever,” she said.

After college, she put a demo together and got calls from media companies in Charleston and Myrtle Beach in 2003.

“Somehow, someway I chose Myrtle Beach,” she said.

Initially, Ray went to work for a company called Traffic Patrol Broadcasting in Myrtle Beach, but in short order got hired by Qantum Communications [now iHeart Radio]. “One of the program directors over at Quantum liked my personality so much just from doing traffic and interacting with them that he offered me a job.”

The job began with The Sound 107.1 [now Rock 107] and then she did what is known as Morning Drive on Gator 107.9, later doing work at BOB FM 104.9 and Gator at the same time. She then did a stint at Clear Channel Media’s Coyote 106.5.

Ray has been with Digity Media for almost two years and can be heard on the T&A Morning Show with Tommy Collins on classic rock station WAVE 104.1 from 6 a.m. and on Star 92.1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

She is up at 4 a.m. and is at the station by 5. In addition to her allotted on-air slots with Digity Media, Ray produces commercials and stays busy with live remotes – usually from two to four per month.

“It’s a supplement to the income, but it’s also a chance for us to get out and meet listeners and also for the clients to see the live action of radio and promotions from the station,” she said.

And remotes can vary wildly. “It’s all over the place. I can be at Suck Bang Blow one day and at a hair salon the next.”

Ray said that she does radio because she hopes to make people smile, laugh and entertained. And the appeal of radio for her is that listeners get to know her personality before they ever see her.

“There is always a judgement factor about the way people look, so for me I am glad that people get to know me by my personality – and then it doesn’t matter what I look like.”

Decompression time includes time with daughter Olivia, 9. In the summer, this could be at the pool or the beach – or playing tourist at local attractions such as the Hollywood Wax Museum or the Fun Warehouse in Myrtle Beach or WonderWorks at Broadway at the Beach.

She might be spotted enjoying a meal at one of the restaurants on the Marshwalk in Murrells Inlet.

Ray plans on staying put in Myrtle Beach.

“I’m committed to making Myrtle Beach my home,” she said. “I would love to stay in radio or promotions – or anything where I can talk a lot.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Working for a Living | Korby Ray ‘fell into’ radio, now airs on ‘T&A Morning Show’."