Name change would require final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Friday announced plans to rename Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton, the country music star and Tennessee native who died earlier this week from cancer at age 80. The announcement came as supporters signed an online petition to rename the airport in her honor.
Lee said in a statement that he had spoken to Parton’s team, who “expressed their appreciation for the extraordinary outpouring of support to honor Dolly.” The governor added that “Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state.”
An online petition to rename the airport in Parton’s honor, originally launched in January 2025, gained fresh momentum after her death and had gathered nearly 160,000 signatures by Friday evening. The petition described the renaming as “a wonderful way to share her light and magic across Tennessee and the world.”
“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’s statement said.
The renaming would require support from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority board, which is scheduled to hold a meeting on the issue on September 17, according to the governor’s office. The final decision would require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The BBC reported that it has asked the Dolly Parton Foundation for comment.
Separately, a Tennessee lawmaker pledged in recent days to introduce legislation in the statehouse to rename the airport in Parton’s honor.
Other U.S. airports already carry the names of famous musicians and other celebrities. Coverage of the proposal cited Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky as examples of the existing naming tradition.
Parton won 10 Grammy awards and sold 100 million records worldwide over the course of her career. Her hits included Coat of Many Colors, 9 to 5, Jolene, and I Will Always Love You.