The Parkes Elvis Festival's Wall of Fame event has been running for 28 years and every year standing in the crowd has been Parkes woman Rhonda Redenbach.
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She has the proof too.
Since 1995 Rhonda has attended the Wall of Fame ceremony - autograph book and camera in hand - at Kelly Reserve where an Australian music legend is celebrated and honoured with a place on the wall each year.
On January 4 she collected her 28th signature and photo, that being Ross Wilson's, the founder and frontman of Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock.
"I have every Wall of Fame signature," Rhonda said.
"And if they weren't here in person, the person representing them would sign the book.
"Like with Johnny O'Keefe."
Johnny O'Keefe was the very first inductee onto the Elvis Wall of Fame in 1995 but he had passed away in 1978.
Rhonda is well known around Parkes for her involvement in the Parkes Shire Concert Band, having been its president for a good 20 years.
She's a drum major and auxiliary percussion, and has been involved in the Elvis Festival for many years, particularly taking the Parkes Shire Concert Band in the annual street parade that attracts a hundred or so entries and thousands of spectators on the Saturday morning of the festival.
"I just love music... [And the festival] it's just good fun, it's the magic of it all," Rhonda said.
Rhonda doesn't have a particular favourite music legend who appears on the Wall of Fame.
"John Paul Young, Little Pattie, Brian Cadd - there's just so many," she said.
Interestingly, the Wall of Famers aren't the only signatures she's been collecting.
"I have every [Parkes] Australia Day ambassador too," Rhonda said.
She's been collecting those ever since we've had ambassadors, which began in the early 90s with Australian actor Leonard Teale, who passed away in 1994.
Stay tuned for all our coverage from the Parkes Elvis Festival Wall of Fame event and events from over the five days of the festival as the town and fans celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023. We've marked the milestone with a special series of stories that show just how far the festival has come and the people who've made it what it is today.
Check out the series here:
- Where it began: Founders reflect on Elvis Festival's incredible evolution 30 years on
- Elvis Festival was hands-on for locals 'but we loved it', says daughter of founders
- Parkes Elvis Festival nearly 'lost forever' after seven years, now it's almost 30
- Elvis really does live in Parkes and he was our first look-a-like winner
- John's secret identity as our first Elvis sound-a-like winner a secret no more
- Unique and with potential: Kelly's crucial role in saving festival and taking it to the next level
- McGraths quietly working away behind festival curtains for 30 years, now their kids are too
- Kristy and her team doing their part for Elvis Festival because she says it's important
- Praise be for 30 years of Elvis Festival as Gospel Service comes of age
- Others may have thought they were fools to rush in dressed as Elvis but rugby boys started a movement
- Meet Parkes' first Miss Priscilla as festival turns 30 and competition marks 16 years
Christine Little
I love sharing people's stories, particularly local stories that are special and important to the people of Parkes. If there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 years of community journalism, it's that stories are everywhere. All it takes is a good story teller to make it worth reading. Email: christine.little@parkeschampionpost.com.au
I love sharing people's stories, particularly local stories that are special and important to the people of Parkes. If there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 years of community journalism, it's that stories are everywhere. All it takes is a good story teller to make it worth reading. Email: christine.little@parkeschampionpost.com.au
