THEY lined up for hours in the hot afternoon sun, but crowds came away smiling, overjoyed and some also had a few tears.
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News that rock’n’roll legend Jimmy Barnes was coming to Bathurst to sign copies of his latest memoir Working Class Man was always bound to draw a crowd.
And, while the singer was not due to arrive at BooksPlus until 5.30pm on Thursday, crowds had already secured a spot in the line, compete with a camping chair for comfort from 1.30pm.
An estimated 300 people queued up, but first in the line were Oberon women Gail Gearon and Tracy Bartlett who said they had loved the singer’s music for decades.
“I didn’t want to miss out [on meeting Jimmy], and being first in line is just a bonus,” Ms Gearon said.
“I’ve liked him since I was 15 and I just love the music.”
Mother and daughter duo Katrina McLaughlin and Sehra Hall were also in the queue, and Ms Hall came away from meeting the singer with a few tears.
“I was just so nervous, he’s just one of my favourite people and he touched my hand,” she said. “I’m never going to wash it.”
Father and son Rob and Darragh Newton made the seven-hour drive from Bourke just to meet Jimmy and get their books signed.
“I heard about it on the Western Advocate’s Facebook page,” Darragh said.
Harden couple Christine and Glenn Jurd travelled to Bathurst for the book signing.
“I’ve been a fan since I was in my 20s,” Mrs Jurd said.
“I’ve been a fan since the beginning of Cold Chisel,” Mr Jurd said.
BooksPlus owner Kathryn Bandcroft said in her 30 years of running the store, she had never had such a big turnout for an author signing.
- VIDEO: Jimmy Barnes during his visit to Orange on November 30.