Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Friday his proposal to rename Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton, just days after the country music legend passed away Tuesday at age 80 following a battle with cancer.
The timing of this announcement reflects both the spontaneous outpouring of grief from Tennesseans and a recognition that few figures in American cultural history have embodied the spirit of their state quite like Parton embodied Tennessee.
“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 stated Friday. The governor’s office confirmed he has already consulted with representatives for Parton regarding the proposal.
The initiative arrives with substantial grassroots support. More than 157,000 people have signed a petition calling for the airport’s renaming. While the petition has existed for over a year, the vast majority of signatures have been added since Parton’s death this week. The effort has garnered endorsements from Tennessee state Representative Todd Warner and singer Sheryl Crow.
This proposal does face a procedural hurdle. The Metro Nashville Airport Authority’s current naming policy stipulates that airport properties should only be named for individuals who have been deceased for at least two years. The governor’s office indicated that both his proposal and the existing naming policy will be addressed at the airport authority’s scheduled meeting on September 17.
Should the policy be amended and the renaming approved, Nashville International Airport would join a select group of American airports bearing the names of cultural icons and historical figures. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California serve as precedents for honoring entertainers and athletes with such distinctions.
Born into poverty in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Parton rose to become one of America’s most beloved cultural figures. Her appeal transcended the usual divisions of generation, geography, and politics. Beyond her musical achievements, including timeless compositions such as “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” she established herself as a film actress in productions including “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”
Nashville International Airport already celebrates its Music City heritage extensively, featuring outposts of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grand Ole Opry, along with live musical performances throughout the terminal.
Additional efforts to memorialize Parton in Tennessee include legislation introduced by state Senator Jessie Seal to designate September 25 as “9 to 5” Day, recognizing one of her most famous songs and the film that brought it to the world.
The coming weeks will determine whether Tennessee’s busiest airport will permanently bear the name of perhaps its most famous native daughter.
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