ONE OF AMERICA’S
LEGENDARY RADIO STATIONS
In 1927, the KRMD call letters were broadcast on the air for the first time. On that day a standard of professional excellence began for a radio station that is now one of the longest in-format stations in the America.
In 1972, KRMD became a fulltime Country Music Radio Station, serving the ARK-LA-TEX with the latest country music 24 hours a day….
Over the years KRMD became one of Americas most listened to radio stations and the legend grew, year after year….
TODAY “Continuous Country Favorites…. 101.1 KRMD” delivers 24 hour a day live and local programming to a population of almost ONE MILLION PEOPLE in our total survey area via the radio and internet airwaves. KRMD FM is consistently the #1 rated Non-Urban radio station in the market.
Cumulus Media, Inc., the owners of KRMD-FM respects the history and legendary status of the station. We strive, everyday, to provide the best possible radio programming to the Shreveport-Bossier City metro, and beyond.
With 100,000 watts of power, 24 hours a day, 101.1 KRMD delivers major entertaining air talent, award winning news coverage, fun and exciting listener promotions, and the best Country Music in the world to our audience.
KRMD-AM was the first radio station in the Shreveport metropolitan area, founded in 1927 by Shreveport radio pioneer Robert Malcom Dean in a back bedroom of his Claiborn Avenue home. Dean used his initials as the call letters and used his two college age daughters to help him run the fledgling business. The two girls both worked their way through Centenary College as copy writers and secretaries for their Dad. In the 1930's Dean took on a partner, prominent Shreveport businessman T.B. Lanford, who later became KRMD's sole owner when Dean retired. During the 40's as well as the 50's when KRMD-FM went on the air, and into the 60's, KRMD-AM/FM played big band music, religious music, popular music and country music, and also broadcast a number of network shows.
James Travis Reeves hosted and sang on his own weekly radio show over Shreveport’s KRMD while in high school. After his dreams of becoming a professional baseball player ended with a leg injury, Jim decided to stick with radio and slowly developed a warm, intimate microphone technique.
Jim Reeves was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame himself in 1967
In 1971, two entrepreneurs from El Paso, Texas purchased KRMD from T.B. Lanford. Smokey Hyde and partner Jerry Black became the new owners and operators who were the front runners of what KRMD is today.
Back in the 1970's when KRMD was located in the old Jefferson Hotel, Frank Manuel, Cheif Engineer of KRMD was responsible for technical staion operations. His son, John remembers on old saying the DJ's said frequently,"If it ain't country, it ain't right." It still rings true.
Hyde and Black turned KRMD into a country music radio station full time, simulcasting on both stations for the majority of their tenure. They also turned KRMD into a very successful and profitable business, eventually selling it in 1985 to George R. Francis, Jr., founder and CEO of AmCom General Corporation. Francis was KRMD-AM/FM's CEO/owner/operator until 1996 when a company named Benchmark, Incorporated out of Baltimore purchased the stations. Within months, Benchmark was bought out by Gulfstar, Incorporated which grew into Capstar. Capstar consolidated with other companies and became AM & FM, which owned KRMD and several hundred radio stations throughout the country until it was purchased by Clear Channel Communications in 2000. When Clear Channel bought out AM & FM, it technically became KRMD's new owner, but in compliance with an agreement with the FCC, Clear Channel never took control of the stations, instead selling them to Cumulus Broadcasting, which is KRMD's present owner. Cumulus Broadcasting is the second largest broadcasting company in America.