ASHEVILLE – Country music and movie star Dolly Parton bounded into Asheville early Monday morning to meet fans, promote her new CD and crack nonstop jokes on radio station 99.9 Kiss Country.

The Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated singer and actress, who was raised in nearby Sevierville, Tenn., delighted a small group of loving fans who had won a radio contest to meet her. Meredith Manning of Asheville had Parton sign her back, and said she would have the autograph made permanent as a tattoo. “Then I can take her with me everywhere,” Manning said. “She’s such an inspiration to me.”

Margaret Fawcett of Leicester praised Parton for having “paved the way for other country singers.”

During a whirlwind interview with Kiss Country morning show hosts Eddie Foxx and Dawne Davis, Parton covered a lot of ground, from her famous figure to her upcoming appearance Thursday at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

On her new single “Better Get to Living” and the forthcoming album “Backwoods Barbie” – “I really am excited about the CD. I wrote nine of the songs. A lot of them are really good solid country things, like the old days.”

On her late singing partner Porter Wagoner: “He gave me my first big break (appearing on his long-running syndicated TV show). We had one of those love-hate relationships. We were both stubborn as mules.”

On cooking: “I’m one of those people who cook like the old days. My food ain’t pretty but it’s good.”

On her long career: “I have been so blessed. I am as excited now as when I first went to Nashville. I wake up with new dreams every day.”