With over two decades of traveling around Northern Michigan,
9&10 News special projects executive producer Corey Adkins
says he has the best job.
From working on top of the Mackinac Bridge to the bottom of the
Soo Locks to racking up 13 Emmys, Adkins has done it all.
However, at the end of the day, Adkins just wants to tell a good
story.
"It's been a great ride and I'm so thankful that people trust me
to tell their story. That is a powerful thing," he said.
Adkins moved to Northern Michigan after attending Specs Howard
School of Media Arts and found a mentor in Jack O'Malley who, at
the time, helped him get a job at 9&10 News in 1998.
When Adkins started, Michigan This Morning — a segment on
9&10 News — had just extended its live show and needed people
to help run it.
"At age 27 there I was learning how to operate a satellite
truck," he said. "Basically though, my bosses told me to go
find the fun stuff. So, we did."
Adkins covered everything from heart warming human interest
stories to features on different happenings around his expansive
coverage area ranging from just North of Grand Rapids up through
parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
"It's so funny how little people need now to go live for
television," he said. "Back then you needed the truck, all the
cords; everything."
Adkins remembers having to figure out how to do a live shot from
the top of the Mackinac Bridge and having to tear apart pieces of
the station's truck to haul up to the top.
"We did it though. We got it up there and went live from the top
of the bridge," he said.
Adkins, who loves his job and telling the stories of hundreds of
people, also found love himself through work — his wife Stephanie
Adkins.
"I started to develop really bad back issues and needed surgery
for my rotator cuff and, during my recovery time, Stephanie took
over my job but liked it so much she never gave it back," he
said.
"It all worked out really well though as, when I came back, my
boss told me to pretty much do my own thing."
And, for the last 19 years or so, that is exactly what Adkins
has done.
Some of his favorite work has revolved around music and
the multiple documentaries he's done under 9&10 News.
It's a love for music and the craft of writing and performing
that draws Adkins in.
"I also played bass and wanted to be a part of Van Halen but
that job was taken so I went into news," he said. "I was
shocked though at Northern Michigan's music scene. It's as good, if
not better, than anywhere else on the planet with the amount of
talent we have up here."
One of the first acts Adkins worked with was Jeff and Scott
Bihlman of the Bihlman Brothers. He followed them out to California
when they recorded a soundtrack for an Amy Smart film.
"They got to record at Cherokee Studios and man that was
amazing. Everyone recorded there. Michael Jackson, David Bowie,
Elton John and so many greats," said Adkins. "The brothers
were actually the last act to record there before they tore it
down."
Adkins has also featured dozens of performers and musicians
across his coverage area including Oh Brother Big Sister, Seth
Bernard, Kevin Johnson, A Brighter Bloom and many more.
"I was asked if I wanted to do more music features and I was
like 'Hell yeah I want to do this. I get to support the people I
want to support the most?' I told them to sign me right up," he
said.
Some of Adkins' most memorable moments and stories come
from the Northern Michigan music scene and getting to work with the
many people who drive it.
Other memorable moments Adkins looks back at include meeting
Mike Rowe of "Dirty Jobs," interviewing a sole survivor of a
shipwreck and getting to film and take part in a ceremony directly
over the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
"It was one of the most emotional and chilling experiences of my
life," he said.
Adkins' love for sharing and telling stories is evident even
beyond putting the spotlight on local musicians.
Over two decades worth of being the one behind the lens and
capturing story after story has given Adkins another reason to love
what he does.
"I'm thankful that people trust me to tell their story. That's a
powerful thing," he said.
Adkins' work can be seen regularly on different 9&10 News
segments as well as on The Four. His current work continues looking
at and highlighting musicians and the many people that make up
Northern Michigan.
Some of his current segments include his music series "Friday
Sessions," a drone series called "Sights and Sounds Drone Edition"
and "Northern Michigan in Focus," which highlights different
happenings and stories around the region.
"It's all fun but the biggest thing, for me anyways, is I just
want to tell a good story," he said.
Contact reporter Sean Miller at smiller@petoskeynews.com.
Follow him on Twitter, Meg turney pussy, and Instagram,
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