The Emmanuel brothers hold a special place in the hearts of many Parkes residents. With more than 50 albums to their name and plenty of other accolades, the decision to induct the Australian rock legends Phil and Tommy Emmanuel to the Wall of Fame was welcomed by many locals, especially those who went to school with them.

The Henry Parkes Museum has a dedicated display of the Emmanuel family and their time in Parkes. Music was constantly played in the Emmanuel household and encouraged by Father Hugh and Mother Virginia with their six children Chris, Virginia, Phil, Tommy, Veronica and Darcy.

The formation of The Midget Surfaries enabled the family to stay together touring with father Hugh handling the bookings of the band, often driving ahead. Touring stopped after six years when Hugh died in 1966. The family returned to Gunnedah and ended up in Parkes in 1967.

In Parkes the brothers founded The Trailblazers when they were at Parkes High School with the encouragement of the music teacher and performed all over the local area. While they both built successful solo careers after school playing with many notable artists like Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton and Air Supply, they also toured Australia together and played sell out concerts in every city.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics the pair performed to a worldwide audience of 4.5 billion at the closing ceremony with INXS, Vanessa Amorosi, Savage Garden and Midnight Oil. “We still have wonderful friends here, Parkes is a very important part of our lives,” said Tommy.

The special display at the Henry Parkes Museum on the Emmanuel family is worth a visit with many family photos and posters documenting the family’s involvement in music, as well as many other interesting pieces. The exhibition featured in the 2017 Heritage Week celebrating 50 years of the Emmanuel family in Parkes.

He was not christened Elvis, but since the very first time he saw an Elvis movie he was hooked. Steve Lennox was only seven when he went to the Saturday matinee at the picture theatre in Bourke to see Love Me Tender. “It was his voice and the songs that got me.”

This first impression seemed to have been an extraordinary one with fate working its magic too as Steve met a girl from Parkes, married her and moved here in 1981. By then he had started collecting Elvis memorabilia in earnest and was very happy when Shanghai Charlie arrived in Parkes for about three years in a row selling Elvis picture boards and other items.

At the first Parkes Elvis Festival in 1993, Steve and his wife Debbie made their own jumpsuits and he won the Elvis Look Alike competition. He enjoyed it so much that he joined the committee and has been on it ever since.

When he moved into a new house in 1996 with a double garage, the idea of opening his extensive collection to the public was born. With the arrival of internet shopping, he has been buying lots of stuff from the States.

The following year turned out to be a big one for him as he opened his museum at the festival for the first time, he changed his name to Elvis by deed poll and he visited Graceland in Memphis with Debbie.

“The hair in my neck tingled as I walked up the steps. It was real good.” So was the gift shop at Graceland. “We had to ship everything we bought back here.” His most precious item from the thousands he has collected over the years is the Aloha Suit and cape he bought from B & K Enterprises on the internet as it was one of Elvis’ favourite suits.

With space for only about three-quarters of his vast collection, Elvis has not stopped dreaming. “My aim is to get more embroidered jumpsuits – the one with the Mexican sun dial and the dragon one.” But his priority is to extend the museum hopefully in the near future as this passion clearly has no expiry date.

“I love this time of the year, meeting people from all over Australia and the world, answering their questions,” said Elvis who could not wait for the up to 600 fans who visit his museum during the festival eliciting stunned reactions and comments of appreciation and awe.

“I do not have money to buy rare or original pieces, but every piece is bought with love straight from my heart, and I think people can see that.” And that is all that counts for Elvis as he fondly remembers a lady who spent about 45 minutes in his museum and came out with tears streaming down her face saying: “He’s not dead is he? Because
you keep him alive.”

(Visit the private museum at 16 Wentworth Street.)

By Maggi Barnard

Parkes can now boast a Premier, and a King! A statue of Elvis has been erected on permanent display in Cooke Park to ensure his legacy will forever live on in Parkes. Parkes Shire Council partnered with the Elvis Revival Inc (ERI) committee to commission Terrance Plowright, who also sculpted Henry Parkes, to ensure continuity with the theme of existing public art in Parkes.

Elvis wore The Chain Suit, as featured on the statue, for the first time while filming Elvis: That’s The Way it Is. The statue is called That’s The Way It Is, and its plinth has eight sides, which was Elvis’ favourite number and his date of birth. There are also eight inspirational quotes placed in the paving around the statue.

“We wanted to get away from all the other poses and liked this one in particular,” said Lorrain Job of ERI. “If you stand in front of him and look up at his face you should see him smile as in the original photograph he was smiling at an audience member.”

The new landmark will be officially unveiled by the Governor of NSW on Saturday at 11:15am.

By Maggi Barnard

Another American icon is on show during the Parkes Elvis Festival with the US Consulate bringing a photographic exhibition, commemorating President John F. Kennedy’s life and work.

“American Visionary: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Times” will be on show at Parkes Library until Sunday, and celebrates President Kennedy’s centennial. It is one of the most exhaustively researched collections of Kennedy photos ever assembled, including iconic and rare images.

Parkes Library is the second Australian venue to present this collection. Australia is one of only 12 countries where the exhibition will be shown after its debut at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington in May last year.

Australia has links with Kennedy of which the most important is probably the fact that his life was saved by an Australian CoastGuard officer, Arthur Evans when his patrol boat PT-109 was torpedoed off the Solomon Islands during World War II. President Kennedy later invited Arthur to the White House.

Kennedy also made a promise at the NASA headquarters in 1961 to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade, and in 1968 the Parkes Radio Telescope played a major role in the first moon landing. Michael Bowerbank, Cultural Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the United States of America in Canberra, said at the opening of the exhibition on Tuesday night President Kennedy achieved so much during his two years, especially in terms of civil rights.

“That is one of the main roles of this exhibition is to inspire the next generation with the values he held in such high esteem.” The exhibition brings together 77 images selected from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Getty Images, private collections and the Kennedy family archives that capture the dramatic scope of Kennedy’s life.

Former local girl Raechel Whitchurch is returning to the Parkes Elvis Festival for a special one-off show. Raechel and her band will pay tribute to Elvis’ country side with Hillbilly Elvis: A tribute to his country roots.

The show will feature songs from the ’68 Comeback Special and will be played in a hillbilly country style as country music was a key influence in Elvis’ younger years. The show will take place under the stars on Thursday (today) and will be the very first house concert in the history of the Parkes Elvis Festival. Ticket holders will be sent the location upon ticket purchase.

The show includes an American style dinner created by local chef Faith Setiawan. You would need to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair to sit on. Limited tickets left, contact www.raechelwhitchurch.com or phone 6862 2000.

As Parkes’ one and only Elvis Tribute Artist crooned the first notes of Return to Sender, the Parkes Boppers jumped up and started dancing. This is how the Elvis festivities kicked off in Parkes on Monday with a celebration of The King’s 83rd birthday in Cooke Park.

The Parkes Boppers, a group of local children aged six to 15, showed off more of their rock ‘n roll dancing skills they had rehearsed over the festive holiday, and Barry Green kept the Elvis songs coming with Viva Las Vegas setting the tone for the party.

The event was organised by Elvis Revival Inc, the Parkes Elvis Festival founding committee and a small band of volunteers. It was also the first opportunity for locals to see the new Elvis statue and many took the opportunity to do the pose for a photo.

A big birthday cake was cut and shared among everyone.

By Maggi Barnard

Colouby Creations in Clarinda Street is ready to Rock ‘n Roll at The Parkes Elvis Festival. If you want to go with the ‘68 Comeback Special theme or need anything else Elvis-related, this is the place to pop in to – dresses, skirts, petticoats, wigs, glasses, handbags, head scarves, jumpsuits, memorabilia for guys, gals and kids – it’s all there.

Christmas is a truly magical time of year in Europe. From streets adorned with festive decoration and twinkling lights to delightful views of snow-dusted churches and medieval palaces, there is nothing quite like it. The countries bordering Europe’s iconic Rhine, Main and Danube rivers will enthral cruisers during the festive season, as the picturesque villages transform to include traditional markets that recall the charms of yesteryear.

In late November and early December, spend time exploring the many wonders of the marvellous markets as you journey through one Christmas fairytale after another on a Christmas Markets River Cruise. Rug up and enjoy a piping hot mug of gluhwein, or sample delicious gingerbread and freshly roasted chestnuts as you shop for the perfect handmade decoration to add to your tree at home.

December brings the chance to spend Christmas Day on board a luxury Scenic Space-Ship during our Christmas Wonderland River Cruise. At this special time of year you will have the option to attend Midnight Mass in a centuries-old church, where classic organ music and singing will add another magical layer to your winter wonderland experience. Spend Christmas morning sailing from Wurzburg to Nuremberg, before celebrating a New Year’s Eve unlike any other in beautiful Vienna.

Your local TravelManagers, Anita Medcalf, Maria Miller or Louise Gillogly, have a wealth of first hand knowledge and experience of these magnificent Scenic Spaceships, that cruise the waterways of Europe, and have the 2018 Magical Wonders Of Christmas brochure available now.