Nashville airport may be renamed for Dolly Parton

Nashville International Airport could soon carry the name of Dolly Parton, under a proposal announced Friday by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee just days after the country music icon died of cancer at 80.

Lee and the airport said the proposed renaming would create “a lasting tribute to her indelible legacy and the generations of people she inspired across Tennessee and around the world.” The plan is expected to be taken up Sept. 17 by the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, which will also discuss its current naming policy.

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her. 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 he spoke this week with representatives for Parton, who expressed “their appreciation” for the proposal.

The effort follows a long-running online petition calling for the airport to be renamed in Parton’s honor. The petition began more than a year before her death and had drawn more than 160,000 signatures by Friday night, according to NBC News. CBS News reported that more than 157,000 people had signed by Friday, with tens of thousands adding their names after Parton died. The petition has also received support from Tennessee state Rep. Todd Warner and singer Sheryl Crow, CBS News reported, and NBC News said it drew supportive responses from a Nashville City Council member and a Tennessee state representative.

The proposal may require the Metro Nashville Airport Authority to revisit its rules. CBS News reported that the authority’s current policy says airport properties should be named only for people who have been dead for at least two years. The governor’s office said both the proposal and the naming policy will be discussed at the Sept. 17 meeting.

Nashville International Airport already emphasizes the city’s music identity, with Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Grand Ole Opry outposts as well as live performances, CBS News reported.

Parton, often called the “Queen of Country,” died Tuesday surrounded by loved ones after a brief battle with cancer. Her death prompted tributes from fans, celebrities and politicians in Tennessee, across the United States and around the world.

Born in poverty in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Parton grew into one of Tennessee’s best-known cultural figures. Her music included hits such as “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” and she also appeared in films including “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”

Beyond performing, Parton was known for her business ventures and philanthropy. She created the Dollywood Foundation to support property relief and educational programs in East Tennessee, and founded Imagination Library, which mails free books to children around the world.

Other efforts to honor Parton in Tennessee are also moving forward. CBS News reported that state Sen. Jessie Seal has introduced legislation to designate Sept. 25 as “9 to 5” Day, a reference to Parton’s famous anthem.