Help with KRBE History

[rageradio]

Re: KYND flip to KKBQ-FM (and, btw, KFMK and KAUM/KSRR fact-checks)

> KYND changed frequencies (92.5 - 92.9), because of the new transmitter location, being Senior Road. KYND,KRLY,KIKK,KMJQ,KLOL and KRBE were all transmitting from One Shell Plaza in the 70's until the 2000 footers were built in the early 80's.
KYND - KKBQ
KBNO - KRLY
KHUL - KIKK
KAUM - KSRR


The Baker family owned KRBE in it's inception and in the later years they owned
KUFO (106.5) that had a "flying saucer studio" on the Flagship Hotel in Galveston.

KRBE was actually on Kirby at one point in time (don't know the address), moved to 7800 Westpark between Hilcroft and Fondren, moved to the Bank building on the NW corner of West Loop and Westheimer and then set up camp where they are now at 9801 Westheimer.

Theres an aircheck from KRBE in 1970 on this site. I've heard the address on Kirby mentioned here.
Site - http://vasthead.com/Radio/radio_works.html
audio link - http://vasthead.com/Radio/KRBE_1970_January.mp3

 

[glenivey]

Seems to me that KRBE 1070 was a heavy rocker in the 1967-68 period. I think Johhny Goyen worked there early on and if I remember they had some payroll issues in the early days, once offered a jock a surfboard in lieu of pay, other barter goods like groceries as well.

 

[ChuckTiller]

1070 KENR was a country music station from its inception in 1967 until 1981. It started as a 5000 watt directional daytimer. In 1972, it went 24 hours with 10000 watts day and 5000 watts night, with day and night patterns. Currently, it's Newstalk 1070 KNTH. There is a 1950s-1960's syndicated rock 'n roll show with Crazy Al from 4:30 till 7:30 on Saturday afternoon.

Johnny Goyen was on 104 KRBE in the late 1960s along with the late Royce Edward Guinn, Ted Maynard and others who got together one summer morning in 1969 and signned the station off the air in front of the GM. You can only work for so long on no money!

 

[willdav713]

KRBE was AC in the early 80's then returned to top 40 "power 104" in the mid 80s, I think it was back in 91 when they came back on as 104krbe top 40.
not sure what date they acually signed on in.
<P ID="signature">______________
jras20</P>

Keys To Radio Broadcast Excellence 1959-1969 Classical
1969 to 1981 Album Rock KRBE Super Rock
FM 104 KRBE was an AC Format from 1981 to 1985 I remember hearing Smooth Operator by SADE at the doctors office in Mo. City when I got my allergy shots.
In 1985 They were Hot Hits 104 KRBE (Their used to be a commercial on youtube of theirs) In 1986 Power 104 Came about which lasted until 1990 months after the KHMX Debut. Then KRBE became 104 KRBE hits without the hype a station that was one of a kind they played ultimix versions of popular songs mixing em up themselves I will give you some examples, Feels Good by Toni Toni Tone In the song where Tony Toni Tone starts rapping that is edited out and replaced with a instrumental. In the Technotronic Pump Up The Jam Ultimix Version the verses are totally mixed up and Clint Eastwood sound effects "Make My Day" are muted to where it sounds like the album version. Color Me Badd I wanna Sex you up the Tick Tock you don't stop is not heard, The C&C Music Factory's Here We Go Lets Rock in Roll an Instrumental is played at the end instead of Thelma Davis singing Rock in Roll to Please your soul. During this time the Dj's announced their station as Club 104 KRBE. Around Labor Day of 1991 the last weeks of KKBQ Rock Hits 92.9, 104 KRBE stopped doing this practice and played the album version of all their songs.

 

[michaelshiloh]

I was there during that strange AC period from 1981-84, when 104 played Frank Sinatra ("New York New York") and a lotta Neil Diamond, but kept Michael Jackson and Billy Joel in heavy rotation. IIRC John Rio was doing nights but left for another job that eventually led to his "Mr. Leonard" character on 93Q and then "syndication."

Weaver Morrow did mornings, Catfish Crouch did middays and Paul Christy did afternoons accompanied by a woman named Mary Kay Kate. I was part of a 6-person newsroom, believe it or not (at the time, most stations did local news). Ted Carson was a parttimer. Johnny Goyen was there doing his great oldies show on weekends. Eric Chase (who still does local production) was one of two production directors. Great people!

About August of '84 GM John Dew brought back the PD from the Super Rock days and the station changed direction to go after 93Q's burgeoning audience.

 

[mrbeasley]

The actually license dates back to 1958. It was an automated soft and easy music station, similar to the KODA of that day, that would put you right out if you listened to it for long. Can't remember the original call sign; but, the call letters K-R-B-E originated from the fact that they moved to the building on Kirby near Richmond and the SW Freeway. That's when it started to rock, and it was all the rage among teenagers. They had the transmitter located "high" atop the building; which was one of the tallest in the area, at the time. It's dwarfed by much larger structures now. KXYZ-FM (then under ABC ownership) jumped on essentially the same format; and began to give the some heat with the new call of KAUM.

In an effort to improve a pitiful signal from only about 300' up; KRBE got in on the combo at One Shell. Then, were a part of the Senior Road project; when One Shell got hemmed in by taller buildings.

 

[rageradio]

KRBE was AC in the early 80's then returned to top 40 "power 104" in the mid 80s, I think it was back in 91 when they came back on as 104krbe top 40.
not sure what date they acually signed on in.
<P ID="signature">______________
jras20</P>

Keys To Radio Broadcast Excellence 1959-1969 Classical
1969 to 1981 Album Rock KRBE Super Rock
FM 104 KRBE was an AC Format from 1981 to 1985 I remember hearing Smooth Operator by SADE at the doctors office in Mo. City when I got my allergy shots.
In 1985 They were Hot Hits 104 KRBE (Their used to be a commercial on youtube of theirs) In 1986 Power 104 Came about which lasted until 1990 months after the KHMX Debut. Then KRBE became 104 KRBE hits without the hype a station that was one of a kind they played ultimix versions of popular songs mixing em up themselves I will give you some examples, Feels Good by Toni Toni Tone In the song where Tony Toni Tone starts rapping that is edited out and replaced with a instrumental. In the Technotronic Pump Up The Jam Ultimix Version the verses are totally mixed up and Clint Eastwood sound effects "Make My Day" are muted to where it sounds like the album version. Color Me Badd I wanna Sex you up the Tick Tock you don't stop is not heard, The C&C Music Factory's Here We Go Lets Rock in Roll an Instrumental is played at the end instead of Thelma Davis singing Rock in Roll to Please your soul. During this time the Dj's announced their station as Club 104 KRBE. Around Labor Day of 1991 the last weeks of KKBQ Rock Hits 92.9, 104 KRBE stopped doing this practice and played the album version of all their songs.

I don't remember the Hot Hits phase of KRBE in 85. I thought it was KKBQ that had the hot hits tag then. I remember hearing that. Specifically at end of Power Station's Some Like It Hot, there's a pause and I remember hearing a jock saying "Hot Hits!" but it escapes me what station that was ( I used to have it on tape). I sent Paul Christy a message on his facebook page hopefully he'll confirm this. I do remember all the remixes KRBE used to play, 2 stand out for me. Yaz's Situation [Re-Situated mix] they did change the intro of this one and called it "Re-Situation" on air. The other was Jesus Jones Right Here, Right Now (they played the hell out of this one, glad it disappeared when they dropped the "Hype") Club 104 KRBE must have been really brief because I missed that one. I seem to remember 104 taking on a rhythmic feel toward the end of the "Power" days (or was it just me?) After they went "Hits Without the Hype" alot of the jocks left. Mark Waldi went to 93Q and did middays for a short while into the Rock Hits 93Q phase, ending up at KLOL. Eric Chase went to 93Q early on, did some airtime but mostly voicework.


while on the subject on KRBE's past.. i was surprised to hear Ryan Chase mention Kasi Love's death yesterday.. they were talking about being stalked and Ryan mentioned a jock there in the late 80s that was killed. Roula interrupted and told him she wasnt stalked it was her boyfriend. They said for the longest time they kept her picture in the offices there. I think it was removed not too long ago.

 

[rallen13]

I was at KRBE late '65-early '66. At the time it was pure classical, operating 6:00 AM-12:00 midnight and was located at 1400 Kirby Drive (hence the KRBE) in the apartment building across from the Houston Arboreatum at Hermann Park. Baker family was indeed the owner, and Edith Baker was the GM. I remember John Pollack and Gordon Basham as being the true on-air mainstays of the station, and a guy named Eamonn Grant was part-time. Recently renewed acquaintances with Grant, who is retired and living in San Antonio and doing part-time-relief work for the classical PBS station there. Lost touch with Pollack. Worked with Basham again in 1970 at KLYX (Clear Lake City) where he was News Director. We worked endless hours together during Apollo 13. A few years back heard him on the air at a PBS station in the Panhandle while I was on vacation, looked him up on the net and exchanged emails with him for a while. Last I heard he had moved to Topeka, Kansas (if I remember right), working as a spokesman for the Police Department.

 

[edriskill]

I was there during that strange AC period from 1981-84, when 104 played Frank Sinatra ("New York New York") and a lotta Neil Diamond, but kept Michael Jackson and Billy Joel in heavy rotation. IIRC John Rio was doing nights but left for another job that eventually led to his "Mr. Leonard" character on 93Q and then "syndication."

Weaver Morrow did mornings, Catfish Crouch did middays and Paul Christy did afternoons accompanied by a woman named Mary Kay Kate. I was part of a 6-person newsroom, believe it or not (at the time, most stations did local news). Ted Carson was a parttimer. Johnny Goyen was there doing his great oldies show on weekends. Eric Chase (who still does local production) was one of two production directors. Great people!

About August of '84 GM John Dew brought back the PD from the Super Rock days and the station changed direction to go after 93Q's burgeoning audience.

I was at KAUM in 79-80 (followed Howard Hoffman, then moved into 10-2 when he went to WABC), and survived the 'format purge' in August of 80 when the format changed to STAR-97. Bill Ward became Bill Moffitt, and I became Bob Fox (from the old Jerry Jeff Walker song). It was an Urban Cowboy thing... some rock, some dance, and some country. I think they kept me because I liked country music, and had been at KJCS for a couple of years. A lotta changes happened there in a short period of time. Larry James came down from Dallas to do afternoons, but went back pretty quickly. I was gone after a month or two of that, and the format didn't last a year. Went to KFMK and did weekends and fill-in for a couple of years after that (Lee Logan and Dan Mason), then weekends at KRBE (Ken Rundle). FM was particularly boring at that time, but AM was fun, and sounded really good. We had a fishing show on Sunday morning, music started at 7am. Astros games ate up the airtime in the summers, and probably didn't do much for the music listeners that were left. During that time I had started a sales business, and I frankly wasn't into radio station politics, so I don't really remember what was happening during the week, but there were some changes taking place. I just showed up, and played whatever was on the log. When I decided to leave to focus on my business and new baby daughter (spring 86, I think), I remember having a meeting with John and Laurie Dimero (I don't think I'm hallucinating... she did news, then was in management) about a full-time job on AM, but I had to decline. That was it for radio and me for 20 years. I have a box full of airchecks from those days, but last time I tried to play them, they were in terrible condition. Shedding and breaking... crappy tape. Can't find my cassette deck, now.

Oh, and Senior Road... remember that came on line a year or so late... a construction accident occurred, a crew dropped the antenna off the top of the tower and a couple of workers were killed. There was some shaky film of that accident. Gruesome. Don't remember exactly what year that was. It was a long time ago...

 

[michaelshiloh]

Thanks Rallen, I was trying to remember the KRBE PD during the mid-80s -- Ken Rundle.

And the guy who returned from the Super Rock days (1979) to re-program KRBE in 1984 was the great Roger W-W-W-W Garrett, right?

I hope Bill Moffett is doing well!

As far as I know, Laurie Demiro is still married to my all-time favorite TV weatherman, Doug Johnson. My wife and I ran into them at a bookstore on S. Shepard a few years ago...

I'll be glad to help you with those cassettes. I'm an expert. What's your email?

 

[edriskill]

Thanks Rallen, I was trying to remember the KRBE PD during the mid-80s -- Ken Rundle.

And the guy who returned from the Super Rock days (1979) to re-program KRBE in 1984 was the great Roger W-W-W-W Garrett, right?

I hope Bill Moffett is doing well!

As far as I know, Laurie Demiro is still married to my all-time favorite TV weatherman, Doug Johnson. My wife and I ran into them at a bookstore on S. Shepard a few years ago...

I'll be glad to help you with those cassettes. I'm an expert. What's your email?

Bill was doing well last year, at the Radio Reunion. I saw him with his 'little boy' (who is now grown and working with him). He's a really funny guy, and was fun to work with. Bill (probably) holds the distinction of being the only Houston air personality to shoot someone in the face on the air (I was the shootee). I was covering his afternoon shift during the Rodeo in 1980. He and (Colonel) St. James came in dressed up like cowboys (for the Cook-off that night). When I opened the mic, Bill whipped out his Colt .45 and fired it directly at me. There was a plexiglas easel on top of the board that was almost blown away... sandblasted nearly opaque, it blew me back in my chair, blew my contacts out of my eyes, and lightly sandblasted my face. Sadly, the station's compression 'sucked up' the sound of the gunshot, so all you could hear on the air was me groan and mumble as I searched the room for my missing head. I think Bill was a little shocked at how much crap comes out of the end of a gun, even when a bullet doesn't. I couldn't wear contacts for a month, after that. Headphones (and too much hair) saved my ears.

I don't remember what Laurie's position was... maybe Asst. P.D. for AM? Not sure. Roger W. Garrett... I should have remembered that (duh). The last year I was at KRBE, I don't think I ever darkened the door on weekdays... I would come in on Saturday and do whatever I did (it was like a 'swing shift'. One week I did Sat. morning for Weaver, next midday for Catfish, next afternoon for Paul), then I would head out. Sometimes a double. Sometimes production was left for me. No social, no gossip, and no station politics. Sundays, I wouldn't see a soul. There would be music from 7-11 or noon, then Astros stuff. I would stay through the Astros game, then someone else would come in about 4. Sometimes I would do a split shift and work about 8 hours on air, usually 4 AM, 4 FM. It was a good setup... didn't get boring. The AM played more oldies or classic hits... R&B stuff. I liked that better than all the Neil Diamond and Elton John whaa-whaa that we did on KFMK. Johnny Goyen always got to play all the good tunes.

I have a box of reel tapes too... they are coming apart at the edit points. Need to get some splicing tape (do they still make splicing tape?) and re-tape them to get them to play. That would be about a thousand or two hours of work. Then another thousand or two hours to convert them to digital. I'm too close to dead for that. I'm still trying to get my house put back together post Ike, so all of my studio stuff is jammed into one small bedroom and stacked up to the ceiling, behind half the other furniture in the house. Wish I had another 300 square foot room...

[email protected]

 

[rallen13]

There was an engineer at KRBE in the early 70's named Jack Richardson. Anyone know his whereabouts?

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I know this has been posted in the past but now is nowhere to be found and I am working on something that requires a fairly accurate account of KRBE's history from the year they signed on and a timeline of it's formats, monikers, even passed jocks if possible.
Oh, when did they move their xmitter to Mo City?
Thanks!

There was a period during the early 1970's when it played AC rock. I have a tape of the station playing (shudder) stuff like the Carpenters. Top-40 fare at the time, but by far not the top-40 that KILT was playing on AM. At some point after that, they must have decided to go after KILT's audience with superior FM sound. And their own brand of processing.

The signal in the late 1970's was a monster, it was all over Austin almost like a local, and reception on a car radio was really good in Dallas / Ft. Worth. I don't know what happened to their signal, it is nowhere near as good now.

 

[whatever39]

I've spoken with a rep that has worked there 39 yrs, he says this is pretty accurate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRBE

 

[rageradio]

I've spoken with a rep that has worked there 39 yrs, he says this is pretty accurate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRBE

Thanks! That entry started with a brief description of the station. I entered the history, battle with KKBQ, all of that down to the former jocks listings. Someone here who went by Cybelesown2 also added to it. Its been tweeked by others since, but I laid the ground work on that.

 

[chuckmccann]

I know this has been posted in the past but now is nowhere to be found and I am working on something that requires a fairly accurate account of KRBE's history from the year they signed on and a timeline of it's formats, monikers, even passed jocks if possible.

I don't remeber the exact month, but late in 1969 when I first joined KRBE weekends, the format was Top 40 and some hard rock. The push towards pure hard rock became very evident soon after I started, much to my dismay. In fact, besides the bounced pay checks, there was a semi-revolt by the jocks on the change in the music format. I remember a short lived directive that came out to limit the intro/outro of records and utilizie "back to back" play blocks. Needless to say, we did not sign on to monitor a 50,000 watt jukebox. There was one late night jock who wispered the intro of records and I don't think it was in protest to the directive. I think he was just creating that mello feeling everyone wanted to achive at that time. Can't remember his name. On another point, I always thought the call letters were chosen because we were on Kirby Lane. But all in all, I enjoyed the people I met and the shows I did at KRBE.

Chuck McCann
A.R.E. Network
Austin, Texas

 

[willdav713]

KRBE was AC in the early 80's then returned to top 40 "power 104" in the mid 80s, I think it was back in 91 when they came back on as 104krbe top 40.
not sure what date they acually signed on in.
<P ID="signature">______________
jras20</P>

Keys To Radio Broadcast Excellence 1959-1969 Classical
1969 to 1981 Album Rock KRBE Super Rock
FM 104 KRBE was an AC Format from 1981 to 1985 I remember hearing Smooth Operator by SADE at the doctors office in Mo. City when I got my allergy shots.
In 1985 They were Hot Hits 104 KRBE (Their used to be a commercial on youtube of theirs) In 1986 Power 104 Came about which lasted until 1990 months after the KHMX Debut. Then KRBE became 104 KRBE hits without the hype a station that was one of a kind they played ultimix versions of popular songs mixing em up themselves I will give you some examples, Feels Good by Toni Toni Tone In the song where Tony Toni Tone starts rapping that is edited out and replaced with a instrumental. In the Technotronic Pump Up The Jam Ultimix Version the verses are totally mixed up and Clint Eastwood sound effects "Make My Day" are muted to where it sounds like the album version. Color Me Badd I wanna Sex you up the Tick Tock you don't stop is not heard, The C&C Music Factory's Here We Go Lets Rock in Roll an Instrumental is played at the end instead of Thelma Davis singing Rock in Roll to Please your soul. During this time the Dj's announced their station as Club 104 KRBE. Around Labor Day of 1991 the last weeks of KKBQ Rock Hits 92.9, 104 KRBE stopped doing this practice and played the album version of all their songs.

I don't remember the Hot Hits phase of KRBE in 85. I thought it was KKBQ that had the hot hits tag then. I remember hearing that. Specifically at end of Power Station's Some Like It Hot, there's a pause and I remember hearing a jock saying "Hot Hits!" but it escapes me what station that was ( I used to have it on tape). I sent Paul Christy a message on his facebook page hopefully he'll confirm this. I do remember all the remixes KRBE used to play, 2 stand out for me. Yaz's Situation [Re-Situated mix] they did change the intro of this one and called it "Re-Situation" on air. The other was Jesus Jones Right Here, Right Now (they played the hell out of this one, glad it disappeared when they dropped the "Hype") Club 104 KRBE must have been really brief because I missed that one. I seem to remember 104 taking on a rhythmic feel toward the end of the "Power" days (or was it just me?) After they went "Hits Without the Hype" alot of the jocks left. Mark Waldi went to 93Q and did middays for a short while into the Rock Hits 93Q phase, ending up at KLOL. Eric Chase went to 93Q early on, did some airtime but mostly voicework.


while on the subject on KRBE's past.. i was surprised to hear Ryan Chase mention Kasi Love's death yesterday.. they were talking about being stalked and Ryan mentioned a jock there in the late 80s that was killed. Roula interrupted and told him she wasnt stalked it was her boyfriend. They said for the longest time they kept her picture in the offices there. I think it was removed not too long ago.

Yes there was Hot Hits Krbe in 1985 there used to be a commercial for it on Youtube. During that time there was Hot 79Q AM Stereo back in 1985 1 owner could have more than one station of the same format that was not simulcasted as of this case and this was done to push AM Stereo (it later failed) So you had Hot 79Q and 93Q I remember listening to that aircheck online in 2006 I don't know if it it still on the web along with 55KTSA in San Antonio you had 55KTSA and KTFM103 same format not simulcasting same company. The Club 104 KRBE lasted for 1 year ceased when 929 Rock Hits became 929Easy Country.

That Kasi Love happened I think around 1988 don't no much details but it was her exboyfriend who stalked her. I didn't listen to radio too much in Houston back in 88. Club 104 a DJ would announce Club 104 almost every song or so. Said it fast to where it could be mistaken as Power 104 I knew they said Club 104 when my batteries to my GE walkman died when I would tape Club 104 and play the tapes back when I was in San Antonio. too bad I don't have those tapes anymore.

 

[jayxs]

I'm with Rage on this one. I thought Hot Hits was 93Q!? I'm almost certain "Club 104" was a mixshow and not the full time moniker.

 

[willdav713]

I'm with Rage on this one. I thought Hot Hits was 93Q!? I'm almost certain "Club 104" was a mixshow and not the full time moniker.

I knew someone that use to have a Club 104 Krbe T-shirt, when I worked at the video store. I was black and white and used the same logo. But they were notorious for taking the sound affects and adlibs out of songs back in 1991, and playing the ultimix versions but they would mix it up really wierd all the time like C+C music factory, Technotronic, and Tony Toni Tone. The billboards and Tv advertising would bill it as Hits without the Hype but the jocks would say Club 104 KRBE. Maybe it was a stunt that they might have changed format back then unless 93Q made a move first which they did, and they stopped the Club 104 moniker after Rock Hits 93Q became 92.9 Easy Country. It was Hot 79Q back in 1985 and Hot Hits 104 "plays the hottest hits" 93Q was always 93Q. Same thing in San Antonio KTSA and KTFM were owned by the same company Waterman Broadcasting, 55-KTSA was Top 40 and KTFM 103 also was Top 40. In 1993 the FCC made this type of programming illegal unless it was a different type of format or a simulcast of another station. Otherwise WOAI-760 in San Antonio would still exist.

 

[radiogroupie]

Re: KZRQ \

> KZRQ... I vaguely remember mention of KZRQ "Z92" here on
> this board. Wasn't it top 40?
>
Yep, also the most heavily processed station in the US plus I think they laid claim to being the 1st all digital FM (processing and airchain that is)..
A friend of mine who worked at the former KWIC (107.9) in Beaumont worked at Z92 for a while....(and you KNOW who owned it right?)

The chain was Optiomod 8100 and Texar Prizms with a secret box i cannot reveal. No mic compressor. One of the best cleanest audio sounds ever. Big Phat and didn't sound overcompressed actually.