KRUN-AM, AKA “Where Country Lives & Legends Last,” is officially off the air. Here’s everything you need to know.
For West Central Texas residents, the sounds of KRUN-AM, AKA “Where Country Lives & Legends Last,” have provided the backdrop for numerous memories made over the last 79 years. Sadly, though, last Wednesday the radio station announced it will be ceasing operations after damage sustained during a May storm became too much to recover from.
On May 10, the severity of that storm caused a tornado to form, which produced such high winds that it tore the roof off of KRUN’s building. Widespread damage was also sustained due to the amount of water that seeped inside once the roof was gone. The station was able to stage a short-lived, temporary comeback not even 24 hours later, but another heavy storm caused further interior issues. The equipment rooms and transmitter were flooded, adding to the total amount of work that needed to be done to resume operations.
Toward the end of last month, KRUN provided an update to listeners about how additional storms were creating restoration delays, as roofers were unable to start—let alone complete—the required work. The station’s statement read, in part, “Protecting our equipment and rebuilding safely has become a day-by-day challenge.” Another hurdle that proved too difficult to overcome was the cost of these extensive repairs.
J.R. Dunn, the owner of KRUN, spoke with Concho Valley about the issue on June 3, saying he’d need about $125,000 to get the building fully operational again. Dunn explained, “Unless we can find a benefactor or someone who’s willing to invest some money in it that can do better than myself, I think we’re just sitting there at yes, we probably will have to end it. After 80 years, it’s a tough deal to go through, and for me to be the one that loses it really hurts also, personally.”
He added that it had been an uphill battle to keep the station stable due to a variety of factors. “The economics of Ballinger, Miles and Winters no longer are what they used to be, and with several of the companies coming in that are national chains, they have dropped any advertising that was going on before, and it has really affected the radio station,” Dunn noted.
The station announced it was unable to make necessary repairs
J.R. Dunn announced the closure of KRUN-AM on June 3.
An official note on the radio station’s website reads, in full, “Since August 1947, KRUN-AM 1400 has been proud to serve Ballinger, Runnels County, and the AgriPlex of Central West Texas. Today, following the devastating storm damage to our facilities, KRUN-AM signs off for the final time. We are deeply grateful for every listener, advertiser, employee, broadcaster, coach, athlete, farmer, rancher, business owner, and friend who made this station part of their lives. Thank you for allowing us into your homes, vehicles, farms, ranches, and businesses for generations. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our loyal employees Steve Everett, Gary Everett, and Kristi Smith for their years of dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to KRUN-AM 1400 and our community. While the airwaves may fall silent, the memories never will. May God bless Ballinger, Runnels County, and the AgriPlex.”
Employee Steve Everett wrote on Facebook about how he had first started at the radio station when he was still a teenager. “As I walked out the red door of KRUN-AM for the final time, I couldn’t help but think about a 15-year-old kid who accidentally found his way into radio. I didn’t know it then, but the little radio station in Ballinger would shape the rest of my life,” Everett said.
The on-air personality added, “KRUN was where I learned the craft. It was where I cut my teeth alongside some of the finest broadcasters I’ve ever known. It was where I learned that radio wasn’t about transmitters, towers, microphones, or ratings. It was about people.” He retired from his post but returned when Dunn reached out personally to ask Everett to help rebrand and rebuild the radio station as it faltered in popularity. “For the past year and a half, it has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my career,” Everett said.
To mark the difficult occasion, Everett selected “The Cowboy Walks Away” by George Strait to be the last song played at KRUN. “It seemed fitting,” he wrote.
