The station first began broadcasting in 1964 under the WERX call sign. WERX began as a MOR station but changed to Top 40 during the summer of 1965, and enjoyed moderate success as a Top 40 rocker until dropping the format in May 1968. The station's potential was always limited due to its poor signal and the fact that co-channel WCKY would begin to interfere with WERX's signal even before WERX's sign-off (and still does to this day). WERX provided an early air shift for John "Records" Landecker, later of WLS fame.