KERB, like most rural American radio stations in the 1950s, had launched with an eclectic mix of music styles but became a solid country & western outlet through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Most recently, KERB broadcast a Spanish-languagereligious radioformat to the greater Odessa, Texas, area. The station shared some programming with former sister stations KAYG, KDFM, KIBL, KLDS, and KERB-FM as part of the La Radio Cristiana Network.
History
Early days
In 1949, the Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit to the Kermit Broadcasting Company for a new AM radio station to broadcast with 1,000 watts of power, daytime only, on a frequency of 600 kilohertz. The station was assigned the call sign "KERB" by the FCC. The station signed on in June 1950 with George H. Cook as company president, Victor King as general manager, James Boultinghouse as program director, and James Radcliffe as chief engineer. A new company called Radio Station KERB, Inc., purchased the radio station on November 23, 1955. H.V. Brinson served as both company president and the station's general manager until he sold the station. KERB Broadcasting, Inc., acquired the radio station in October 1, 1968. Floyd Shelton was company president and Ken Welch was general manager under the new ownership. In the 1970s, Jean Welch became the station's office manager and program director while Doug Welch served as chief engineer. In 1979, the Welch family purchased KERB Broadcasting, Inc., and Ken Welch added company president to his duties.
1980s and 1990s
To expand to 24-hour operation, KERB was joined in 1987 by a new FM sister station, licensed as "KERB-FM", not bound by the AM stations "daytimer" restriction. In March 1988, owners M.F. and Jean Welch agreed to transfer control of KERB Broadcasting, Inc., to Marlin D. Kuykendall. The FCC approved the transfer on April 12, 1988, and the move was consummated on May 1, 1988. Less than two years later, the station faced financial difficulties and in January 1991 the KERB and KERB-FM broadcast licenses were involuntarily transferred from KERB Broadcasting, Inc., to Ron White acting as receiver. The FCC approved the move on February 15, 1991. In June 1991, the station applied for special temporary authority to remain dark while a new operator for KERB could be found. The FCC granted this authority on November 4, 1991, with a scheduled expiration date of March 4, 1992. In September 1991, receiver Ron White found a buyer for both stations and applied to transfer the broadcast licenses on Mesa Entertainment, Inc. The FCC approved the deal on November 4, 1991, and after extended complications the transaction was consummated on March 15, 1996. In March 1997, Mesa Entertainment, Inc., made a deal to sell KERB and KERB-FM to La Radio Cristiana Network, Inc. The FCC approved the sale on May 20, 1997, and formal consummation of the transaction occurred on September 15, 1997.
American singer-songwriter Roy Orbison began performing on KERB in 1951. He formed a band, The Wink Westerners, with several friends from high school. In 1953, the band began their own weekly radio show on KERB. Orbison would later be signed to Sun Records, become a music legend whose career spanned four decades, and be inducted into the Rock and RollHall of Fame in 1987.
