[2] Around 1960 Peagler led a band called the Modern Jazz Disciples, which specialized in hard bop.
The band included a euphonium and normaphone player, William "Hicky" Kelley, an unusual instrument for jazz musicians to play during the era.
[2] In 1992, Peagler died following heart surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
[6] Jazz critic Leonard Feather described Peagler as "an exciting, extrovert saxophonist who lent color to every band he played in, from Ray Charles in the 1960s to Count Basie in the ‘70s.
"[6] James Nadal referred to him as "a solid, hard working sax man whose performance and recording resume was quite impressive.