When news first broke that the Coronavirus pandemic had come to Seattle, John Richards had no idea how he could keep doing his job. More than two months later, his work has never been important.

Richards is a father of two boys and the host of the “The Morning Show” on 90.3 KEXP FM in Seattle. KEXP is an independent radio station supported largely by its listeners, so that means John and the other DJs are free to take requests from people all over the world and play whatever they want. And the station has received more notes and music requests from listeners over the past two months than ever before in the station’s history, giving Richards and his fellow DJs a unique perspective into how people all over the world are coping with the pandemic, and which songs are helping them through.

Says Richards: “It’s been absolutely surreal, weird and intense, everyday I’ve been on the air.”

Listen in as John recounts what he’s been hearing from listeners, how his work on the air now compares to his experience behind the mic on 9/11, and how he’s dealing with a new reality for his wife and kids as they try to balance work and home schooling. 

You can also listen to John’s first appearance on Paternal from its debut episode in 2017 here, and follow John on Twitter and Instagram for more updates from KEXP.

Learn more about Paternal and sign up for our newsletter at www.paternalpodcast.com. You can also email host Nick Firchau at [email protected] with any comments or suggestions for men he should profile on the show. Make sure you subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you’re listening, then keep an eye on your feed for new episodes.