Legendary DJ and radio/music icon, Richard Pegue, passed away early yesterday morning from heart failure.รย He was 64.
Known for playingThe Best Music of Your Life and coining the phrase, Pegue began spinning music at high school dances at the age of 11 after receiving a reel-to-reel from his grandmother. While attending Hirsch High School, he formed the doo-wop group, the Belvederes as well as a lifelong friendship with fellow broadcaster, Richard Steele.
Between 1961 and 1965, Pegue continued singing, but also ventured in songwriting, releasing the single, Iรขโฌโขm Not Ready to Settle Down, which was performed by the Cheers and still enjoys airplay today.
In 1968, Pegue became the music director for WVON and a member of the legendary รขโฌลGood Guys.รขโฌย รย After the station was sold in 1975, he worked at several radio stations in Chicago and Northwest Indiana, including WOPA, WJPC and WGCI.รย He spent 13 years at WGCI as program director, operations manager, on-air personality and advisor to many of the personalities and management at the time.
Pegue developed a following with his weekly sets at Taste Entertainment Center and his ever-popular, standing-room-only annual Dusty Record Convention held at St. Elizabethรขโฌโขs School annex. He also produced commercial jingles, including the memorable Moo & Oink spots.
In 1998 while attending a movie with his wife, Sevina, Pegue suffered a stroke.รย Although he went through several health challenges following his recovery, the music never stopped. On Mondays, Pegue was spinning the hits at the Charles Adler Senior Center, bringing the house down at the WVON Seniorsรขโฌโข Breakfast and at midnight on Saturday until 6am Sunday morning on WKKC 89.3, with numerous gigs in between.
A radio treasureรขโฌโRichard Pegue will be greatly missed.
Services are pending. Stay tuned to WVON or listen: www.wvon.com.
