Sun-Times looks back at the life of Richard Pegue

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: 'Dusties' DJ spent lifetime on music scene : 1 OF 'GOOD GUYS' | On air at WVON, WGCI; sang in '60s, wrote songs : March 4, 2009 : BY LARRY FINLEY | Chicago Sun-Times Staff Reporter : ------------------------------------------- : : Disc jockey and songwriter Richard E. Pegue was one of the "Good Guys" of Chicago radio. : Mr. Pegue was part of the hand-picked crew of on-air personalities, called "The Good Guys," who were selected for WVON Radio when it was started in 1963 by Leonard and Phil Chess, owners of Chess Records. : He was best known for his work on the overnight shift where his theme song suggested "Stay Awhile with Me" while he played "dusties," his rhythm-and-blues version of oldies. : Mr. Pegue, 64, died of a heart attack Tuesday after driving himself to Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center, according to his friend and engineer PJ Willis. : Part of the Chicago music scene since the 1960s, he performed with a doo-wop group, the Norvells. He sang and played the guitar and piano. He wrote and produced music for other groups and performers. He was in demand as a disc jockey for radio and parties. : His final performance was last weekend on WKKC Radio (89.3 FM) at Kennedy King College, according to Marv Dyson, the operations director. "He did his last show here on WKKC last Saturday, midnight until 6 a.m. Sunday," Dyson said. : They worked together at WJPC, and then at WGCI-FM, where Dyson was the manager, he said. "He put in 18-hour days and acted as program director, operations director, on-air personality, advisor to me . . .," he said. : Mr. Pegue was born in Chicago on July 29, 1944. His father was a Chicago Park District Police officer who was killed in the line of duty in 1946. He attended Cornell Elementary School, Morgan Park High School and Columbia College. : By age 16, he was doing DJ work at South Side dances. He wrote several songs: "Which One Am I?," "Nevermore," "This is the Woman," and "I'm Not Ready to Settle Down." : In 1968 he was named music director at WVON, where he worked until 1975. He then worked for several stations, including WGCI. : Mr. Pegue also wrote radio commercial jingles while they were both at WGCI, Dyson said, including the theme for the old Fun Time Amusement Park, a tune for the Moo & Oink meat company and a ditty called "Gas for 50 cents." : His survivors include his wife, Sevina, and three children. : Services are being arranged.

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