Devoted Dolly fan Margaret Morris left her Coledale home at 4.30am to walk to the Tamworth Visitor Information Centre, arriving at 5.30am to be the first in line.

“I have liked her singing for a while,” she said.

“I like 9 to 5. I’m hoping to get seats on the sides and I’m buying three tickets for my cousins and I.”

Next in line was Jenny Holcombe and her daughter, Georgia, who joined Ms Morris at 6.30am.

“All my life I’ve been a Dolly fan,” Mrs Holcombe said.

“I grew up with her and love all her songs.

“It made my day when I found out she was coming here.”

She’s hoping to convert her 13-year-old daughter into a new Dolly fan at the concert.

Although not yet sold out, Tamworth Regional Council entertainment venues manager Peter Ross said he was confident it would.

“There are still some very good gold seats left, but tickets sales were very, very good,” he said.

“We did another 1100 yesterday (after the 1500-plus tickets sold in the pre-sale). The silvers have just about 

sold out. We haven’t sold out, but I really believe we will.”

Mr Ross said there was a lot happening in Tamworth, with many locals away, so when the festival wrapped up they could return and buy their tickets.

“We had a really strong day, ticket sales-wise in general,” he said.

Dolly takes to the stage at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre on February 16.