by Tom Padula
An Italo-Australian radio broadcaster has set a new Australian radio record with a marathon nine hours of uninterrupted Elvis Aaron Presley music, celebrating the enduring legacy of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.
Veteran DJ and broadcaster Captain DdZ, also known as Duane Zigliotto, achieved the milestone in 2025 on 97.9 FM Melton, delivering nine consecutive hours of Elvis recordings without interruption. The broadcast featured 226 Presley tracks, drawn from a personal archive of more than 760 songs, marking the longest continuous Elvis-only radio program ever aired in Australia.
The achievement capped a journey that began more than three decades earlier. Captain DdZ first launched the Elvis marathon in 1990 as a one-off tribute to Presley. Over the years, the format was gradually expanded, culminating in this record-breaking broadcast. On the global stage, the Australian record ranks second only to an iconic moment in radio history. In 1977, following Elvis Presley’s death, Tony Prince of Radio Luxembourg—a personal friend of Presley—broadcast 12 consecutive hours of Elvis music from midnight to midday.
Prince later acknowledged an on-air error when he announced that Presley had left behind a wife and child, despite Elvis having already divorced Priscilla Presley. Captain DdZ’s record-setting broadcast was supported by a team of notable contributors, including co-presenter Jared “Meme King”, television veteran Jeff Phillips, producer Bob Phillips, 97.9 FM Melton president Bob Turner, entertainer Marty Rose, film producer Greg Lynch, and program producer Virginia Freeman.
The marathon stands as both a technical achievement and a heartfelt tribute, reaffirming Elvis Presley’s timeless appeal and the passion of Australia’s broadcasting community.
