Nashville’s main airport could soon carry the name of Dolly Parton, honoring the country legend’s Tennessee roots. In an official press release on Friday, August 28, officials announced plans to explore renaming the airport after Dolly. The proposal arrived three days after the singer, 80, died following a brief battle with cancer.
Tennessee Leaders Back Dolly Parton Airport Tribute
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport announced the partnership. Bill said he had spoken with Dolly’s team, which was touched and open to further discussion.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Bill said.
“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.”
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell also endorsed the change. Freddie connected the tribute to “SongTeller,” the hotel and museum Dolly had been developing as what she called a love letter to Nashville. He said renaming the airport would allow the city to offer a love letter in return.
Proposal Heads to September 17 Airport Meeting
GettyThe name change is not final. The Metro Nashville Airport Authority must review its existing naming policy and the governor’s proposal before moving forward.
Officials are scheduled to discuss both matters at the authority’s meeting on Thursday, September 17. Additional details are expected in the following weeks.
If approved, the airport would become Dolly Parton International Airport in Nashville. The proposal would place Dolly’s name at one of Tennessee’s most visible gateways and connect her legacy to the city she helped define.
Petition Draws More Than 150,000 Signatures
The official announcement followed a public campaign started in January 2025 by Tennessee residents Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion, as per ABC News. Their Change.org petition called for the same renaming long before Dolly’s death.
Organizers said the campaign was “reinvigorated” after the news of her passing. By Friday afternoon, more than 150,000 people had signed it.
Supporters also sent an airplane over the Tennessee State Capitol and Nashville’s Broadway district on Friday. It pulled a banner directing people to the petition, turning the online campaign into an appeal.
Dolly Parton Died After Brief Cancer Battle
Dolly died on Tuesday, August 25. Her representatives later confirmed that she had faced cancer for a short period before her death. They did not disclose the type of cancer, when she received the diagnosis or details about her treatment.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced the loss and described a peaceful spiritual reunion with her late husband, Carl Dean, and other loved ones.
“Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus,” Bryan said, “surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”
The airport proposal now offers Tennessee a way to preserve Dolly’s name in the heart of the state she represented throughout her life.
