Peggy Sue Gerron, ex-K5PSG, of Lubbock, Texas, who inspired singer Buddy Holly’s 1957 rockabilly hit “Peggy Sue,” died on October 1. She was 78. First licensed in 2004 as KE5AKW, she later obtained the vanity call K5PSG. Her license expired in 2014, and K5PSG has since been reissued.

Gerron went to high school with Holly and later married The Crickets drummer, Jerry Allison. As rock ‘n’ roll history has it, Holly originally titled the song “Cindy Lou,” but Allison convinced the singer to change the tune’s name to “Peggy Sue.” In a 2004 interview, Gerron said that story is close to the truth, but not entirely accurate.

After Holly’s death in 1959, Gerron toured with The Crickets after the band got back together. Over the years, Gerron made public and media appearances all over the country.

She said her participation in the 2004 W5B special event in Lubbock commemorating Holly helped inspire her Amateur Radio aspirations. “You can do TV specials, and you can be interviewed by the very best DJs,” she said, “but there is nothing like the feeling of putting your finger down, and transmitting your call sign, and having somebody answer back.”