Forum/Discussions

 

 

To Bruce Dumont and Committee:

 

I understand that March 27th is a deadline date to submit qualified names of persons to be considered for inclusion on various levels of the Radio Hall of Fame. While there may be others that may submit additional qualifications and endorsements, I would like to officially submit the name of Mr. Richard Pegue for strong consideration for inclusion in the Radio Hall of Fame and I am certain that his career of over 40 years in Chicago uniquely qualifies Pegue for inclusion.

 

Mr. Richard Pegue died on Tuesday, March 3rd in Chicago, ending a career in local entertainment and on-air broadcasting in Chicago that reached various of level of achievement in those areas as well as in community, civic, and political relations in Chicago. Mr. Pegue was best known for being one of the few local DJ's known as the now legendary "Good Guys," from the historic lack radio station WVON, a group that also included current Radio Hall of Famers Wesley South and Herb Kent. 

 

Bruce, you may remember when you paid tribute to Mr. Wesley South and he looked in the audience and identified me as a person who was a part of WVON and who would be a part of the future of WVON and its impact on people like me and the overall community. Well WVON was indeed a part of my life, but that was because of the impact of Richard Pegue. I was around 14-15, and it was Mr. Pegue who started me as a guest on-air teen DJ then on WOPA -AM. It was then influence of Mr. Pegue and Herb Kent who allowed me and others to answer their request line phones. meet and interact with other station DJ's and management and other exposures. From that, it was the influence of Mr. Pegue that helped me become an official station intern while in high school and eventually got me a paid staff position of Assistant Producer of The Hotline Talk Show and in years to come I would even become the host of my own talk show on WVON. And throughout my 35 public service career, central to my success was the relationships that were started and continued because of my association with WVON. And there are so many recording artists, businesses, broadcast employees, and local neighborhoods in Chicago that are better because of how Richard Pegue used himself and his talents on and off air to the benefit of others. 

 

Many people whose names you know well, like Herb Kent, Richard Steele, Dr. Cecil Hale, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr, Lucky Cordell, Cliff Kelley, and others have already offered their public support for Richard Pegue to be included in the 2009 Inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame. And I know that if need be that there would be thousands of people in Chicago and around the country who would call you with their overwhelming public support for Richard Pegue's inclusion in The Radio Hall of Fame.

 

As an on air DJ, Richard was known for his theme that the music he played was "The Best Music Of Your Life," which was featured on WKKC-FM and on special holiday broadcasts on WVON, and the theme and banner by which he provided the music for any and all of his public appearances. As a manager, Richard was the Music Director in the late 60's and 70's of WVON, and helping the careers of so many including that of the legendary Tom Joyner when he was assisting Marv Dyson in programming the new WJPC-AM. Richard also helped program WKKC and WGCI.

 

In the days to come, you will receive even more documentation on the 40-50 year broadcasting career of the late Richard Pegue which more than qualifies him and his legacy and who will indeed be remembered after his successful inclusion into The Radio Hall of Fame as an example for future generations.

 

The purpose of this communication was to mark this day as his name being formally submitted before the March 27th deadline. I was with him for one his last public DJ appearances where I had a chance to publicly salute him, which he witnesses a crowded room stand and cheering him, and he told me how proud he was of me since he began to mentor me as a teenager and throughout my 35 year public service career. With that lasting memory in my mind, I had to be one of those who for the record, who officially placed the name of Richard Pegue into nomination into the Radio Hall of Fame.

 

Most Humbly,

 

Mark S. Allen

Former staffer at WVON/WGCI

773-392-0165 cell