Dr. Wayne Pegram’s 45-year teaching career has been devoted primarily to the state of Tennessee, beginning the summer of 1959. During his nine years as a school music director (Loudon, Franklin, Knoxville, and Murfreesboro), all ensembles were always rated “superior.” While earning his masters degree, he was the visual designer and drill instructor for the Pride of the Southland Band at the University of Tennessee and served as director of the UT varsity band. While earning his doctoral degree at Northern Colorado University, he directed jazz ensembles, ran the electronic music lab, and taught woodwinds. For 25 years, Dr. Pegram was primarily a band director. During the years that he served as Director of Bands at Tennessee Tech, their marching, jazz, and concert bands were invited to perform at major regional and national events. The Tech Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles, under his direction, were asked to record more than 30 albums for regional, national, and international distribution. He concluded his 35 year tenure at Tennessee Tech by serving as Professor of Music and coordinator of music education and also became Music Director of the Tech Community Symphony Orchestra.
Wayne Pegram writes for the swinging bass with Mastersingers, the community chorus in the region. He plays tenor saxophone and flute with his own quartet and is music director for a regional dance band The Big Band Sound. He is founder and conductor of the Cookeville community band. As a professional arranger and composer, he wrote functional music for his school groups and now has more than sixty works published by Neil Kjos, Barnhouse, and other publishing companies.
At the awards presentation, TMEA Past President Stephen Coleman attested to the major influence Pegram has had on him as well as so many former students.