MAUREEN Conlan had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming when she met Dolly Parton last week.
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The 60-year-old Mount Isa resident was treated by her son Owen MacNamara to a trip to Brisbane, a new outfit, a manicure and pedicure, a limousine ride to the concert and backstage passes to meet the country music singer.
``I had an exciting trip, I haven't come down off the high yet,'' Mrs Conlan said.
``We got picked up in a limo and we went to the concert.
``We had tickets that entitled us and about 30 or 40 people to go backstage.
``Only 15 of us got to meet and greet Dolly.''
Mrs Conlan said the singer was extremely down to earth.
She said she had her photo taken with Parton first and then ``she bumped me with her hip and said, `it's Owen's turn'.''
She said she was delighted Parton sang Coat of Many Colours , which was a favourite and one she used to sing for the Spinifex Country Music Band in Mount Isa.
Mrs Conlan said it was the first time she had ever attended a concert of that size.
She said Parton was full of energy and was extremely funny, making jokes at her own expense about her botox and her hair.
Mrs Conlan said a staff member who delivered Parton an instrument on stage brushed her hair and the singer asked him, ``is it still on there or did you take it off''.
``She doesn't hide anything,'' Mrs Conlan said.
She said her son bought her a souvenir T-shirt which she would wear to bingo with pride.
``I was really, really happy I went down,'' she said.
