The station was originally at 96.3, and was assigned the call letters KIEZ on August 18, 1989. On September 9, 1989, it officially signed on the air.[5] As the call sign indicated, it had an easy listening format and was owned by McForhun, Inc. The studios were on Hatchell Lane in Denham Springs.
On July 15, 1991, the station changed its call sign to the current KRVE.[6] In addition, it moved to 96.1 that year. The KRVE call letters were previously owned by a Portuguese language FM radio station (now contemporary Christian station KJLV) in San Jose, California.