In the late 1960s, the station got its construction permit and was built by Col. Vann M. Kennedy, a pioneer Texas broadcaster. Kennedy was perhaps best known for giving Walter Cronkite his first job in news while Cronkite attended the University of Texas in Austin. As Cronkite later described it, he thanked Kennedy for "teaching me to write." Kennedy also built KZTV Channel 10 in Corpus Christi, and KVTV Channel 13 in Laredo.
In September 1947, Kennedy put KSIX1230 AM on the air, the third station in Corpus Christi. He added an FM station in January 1970; 54 years ago (1970-01).[5] Its original call sign was KSIX-FM. It aired a mostly automatedbeautiful music format. It played quarter-hour sweeps of soft, instrumental music, with Broadway and Hollywoodshow tunes.
The call letters changed to KEXX when the station flipped to adult contemporary music in 1980. The station was assigned the call letters KSTE on December 2, 1985, upon its sale to American Wireless Company. KSTE also offered an adult contemporary format.
On April 1, 1989, the station changed its call sign to the current KMXR.[6] It began playing classic hits.
On December 26, 2014, KMXR rebranded as "Big 93.9".