Mr Richard Pegue

Richard’s Journey Richard Earl Pegue, Jr. July 29, 1943 – March 3, 2009 Richard Earl Pegue Jr. was born July 29, 1943 to Laura and Richard Earl Pegue Sr. at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Il. He always took pride in declaring himself and anyone else born at Cook County an original Westsider. Richard attended Hirsch High School where he started his first musical group and Columbia College. Richard believed life is a full circle and so two of his greatest honors were to have the street on which Hirsch High school was located renamed in his honor, and to teach radio production at Columbia College. Richard loved to point out, with extreme pride, every career point achieved by every one of “his� students in radio and television. His amazing memory and resourcefulness enabled him to be a virtual encyclopedia of everything he was interested in and that carried over into his greatest career passion “The Best Music of Your Life.� He realized his passion when he visited his first radio studio, WBEE, in 1957. There he found his role models: Al Benson, Herb Kent, E. Rodney Jones, Purvis Spann and Lucky Cordell, and often said he visited them just to watch them work. Herb Kent brought him on his show as a guest DJ and the rest is radio history. For over 40 years Richard was an on-air personality, program director or music consultant and has played “The Best Music of Your Life� on Chicago Radio Station WVON, WOPA, WJPC, WGCI F & AM, WBEE, WKKC, WLTH (Gary, IN), at Chicago “dusty sets� and for over 30 years at his twice yearly “Dusty Record Convention.� Along with his on-air career he was also a song writer and commercial jingle writer and producer and provided the music or sound behind many Chicago record productions. In 1965 he wrote and produced his biggest hit, "I'm Not Ready to Settle Down." He has produced commercials for McDonald’s and Coca-Coca but true to his love of Chicago music the first ones he would tell you about were “Fun Town, Fun Town for the kids and you, 95th & Stony Island Avenue� and Moo & Oink: "Wave for catfish—Moo & Oink! Scream for ribs—Moo & Oink!" “ His start at WVON as one of the original WVON Good Guys imprinted on him how much a public figure could matter to a private person just by giving a little and he continued in public service the rest of his life. Among his numerous causes were his remarkable efforts in the campaign for the election of Harold Washington, his tireless work to get barriers on south Lake Shore Drive, helping end homelessness in Chicago and improving conditions for senior citizens. Richard never turned down a request to appear anywhere for any organization. Just as he clung to his birthplace as his original history he clung to dusties as the heritage of music. His love for music in general and dusties in particular has been documented worldwide and can be found through any internet search. What you won’t find is his deep rooted love for the history of Chicago, the people of Chicago and Chicago music in particular. He took great care to feature Chicago music every Saturday night. You also won’t find anything about Richard the father and grandfather. His children, Cenise, Richard III, Christopher and Rosalyn, were a continuing source of pride and joy. Every aspect of their lives, accomplishments or distractions, successes or set-backs, were of major concern to him. He considered being able to provide for his family, and raise his children to adulthood a blessing; and he felt his ultimate reward was being blessed with 17 grandchildren. Richard began his health challenges in 1996 when he suffered a stroke in March. The following July, while watching Independence Day, when Will Smith said something about the mother ship, Richard turned to his wife and said “He should call George Clinton.� After that he collapsed, stricken with a heart attack. When he was taken off the respirator his life-long friend of over 50 years, Richard Steele was at his side and the first thing he asked Richard Steele, was 'Who did my show?' Richard spent the next six months recovering and was back on the air and back at the “dusty sets� in less than a year and continued to carry on. His passion for radio has surpassed many health challenges over the last 13 years and he remained determined to live his life doing what he loved on the radio. In one recent interview Richard was quoted as saying: “I started thinking about all the things I'd seen, all the people I've met. I tell the kids today, 'Pick the flowers while you can still smell them. Enjoy what you got while you can still enjoy it. If I could get in one of those H.G. Wells time machines, I wouldn't go ahead. No, I'd go back. Give me back the last 40 years. Richard suffered a massive heart attack after leaving his Atlas Center Seniors Monday and died of heart failure the morning of Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Still true to his giving nature he signed and became an organ donor and we’ve learned he has saved the lives of 21 people in various parts of the country through his donations. He leaves to cherish his memory and carry on his legacy his dedicated wife, Sevina, children; Cenise, Richard III, Christopher, Rosalyn, Grandmother; Mary Pullens, sister; Janis (Balil) Muhammad, 17 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter, his extended radio family at WKKC, WVON, WGCI, WZAV, more friends and family than can possibly be named and the fans whom he thought the world of. He has transitioned to his heavenly reward leaving us with the best memories and forever grateful that we were blessed to stay a while with him. The Name of Richard Pegue Was Officially Placed Into Nomination Into The Radio Hall Of Fame Wednesday, March 4, 2009