Nashville International Airport could soon carry Dolly Parton’s name under a proposal unveiled Friday by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
Lee announced the proposed renaming just days after the country music icon died Tuesday from cancer at the age of 80.
“At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness,” Lee said in a statement.
The governor said he has already spoken with representatives for Parton about the proposal.
The idea mirrors a campaign supported by more than 157,000 Parton fans who, as of Friday, had signed an online petition calling for the airport to be renamed in her honor. Although the petition has been active for more than a year, tens of thousands of new signatures have poured in since Parton’s death. Tennessee state Rep. Todd Warner and singer Sheryl Crow have also backed the effort.
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Nashville International Airport already leans heavily into the city’s country music identity, with outposts tied to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grand Ole Opry, along with live performances that spotlight Music City for travelers.
Across the United States, several airports are named for well-known performers, political figures and athletes, including the President Donald J. Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida; Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport; Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky; and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.
Parton, who was born into poverty in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, grew into a cultural icon whose appeal spanned generations, regions and political lines. Beyond writing and recording enduring hits such as “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” she built a successful film career with roles in Hollywood favorites including “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”
The change could require the Metro Nashville Airport Authority to revisit its naming policy. The policy currently states that airport properties should only be named for people who have been dead for at least two years.
The governor’s office said his proposal and the naming policy will be discussed by the airport authority at its meeting on Sept. 17.
Other efforts to honor Parton in her home state include legislation introduced by Tennessee state Sen. Jessie Seal to designate Sept. 25 as “9 to 5” Day, a nod to Parton’s famous anthem.
