When Melanie Dyer stepped onto the stage as co-host of the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth on Saturday night, the first people she spotted in the audience were her parents.

"I couldn't look at them for too long though because I'd get a bit teary! It was a big dream moment for me, and they've always been so supportive and proud."

And they have plenty to be proud of.

The former Inverell girl hosted the awards at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) after earlier headlining her own concert in the afternoon, while her latest single, Memphis T-shirt, still sits at the top of the country music chart.

Not that Melanie has had much time to contemplate it all.

During her concert, the 26-year-old quipped that she would not win a prize for daughter of the year as it was her mother, Cath's, birthday and she'd only spent about five minutes with her.

"Saturday was a complete whirlwind for me! I was up early to get over to TRECC for hair and makeup," she told The Inverell Times. "The only time I had spare was before dress rehearsals, as I had to shoot straight off to my headline show after that."

Melanie left rehearsals at TRECC at 4.10pm and was on stage at her show by 4.25pm. And it's a 10 minute drive between the two venues!

"My band did my soundcheck for me and I literally just ran on stage trusting that it would all be ok. After my show I jumped straight off stage and back to TRECC to walk the red carpet."

Then it was another outfit change and 20 minutes later the young entertainer was up on the big stage ready to host the awards.

"I actually can't wrap my head around how that all worked out!"

Melanie said there were a few familiar faces at her concert.

"Mum and Dad of course, and some beautiful friends from Inverell (in their Memphis T-Shirts) and even some of my neighbours from Mount Russell.

"It was awesome to look up and feel that support from my hometown.

"As for the awards, I was so happy to bring Mum and Dad.

"I thought the night was incredible. It showed the strength and diversity of our industry in all its laneways. I also thought it was brilliant that the nominees in the New Talent category got to perform too. It felt like there was a real 'tip of the hat' to the next generation of artists coming up the ranks."

The awards were the culmination of the 10-day Tamworth Country Music Festival, and while at the festival, Memphis T-shirt clicked over to its sixth week at number 1 on the country hot 50 chart!

"It was really nice to be pulled up backstage at the Golden Guitars by Lee Kernaghan who went out of his way to congratulate me on the success of the song.

"It's all a big buzz at the moment, new followers are reaching out every day on social media, telling me they are hearing it on all different radio stations across the country. It's just crazy and amazing," she said.

Melanie left Australia on Monday to fly to Nashville. It's where Memphis T-shirt was written (she turned up to the songwriting session wearing a t-shirt bought on a trip to Memphis) and she is booked in for more songwriting sessions that will hopefully lead to the next country hit.