 The station began broadcasting on April 10, 1976, as KMCS in Gatesville.It originally aired country and easy listening music and was owned by George W. McClarin alongside KCLW (900 AM).After a 1978 sale attempt to Lowell Duncan was not consummated, McClarin found his buyer in Monarch Communications Systems, which purchased the station for $115,000, plus $10,000 for a non-compete agreement.