Tennessee moves to rename Nashville International Airport in Dolly Parton’s honor

Nashville International Airport could soon be renamed after Tennessee icon Dolly Parton, the governor and airport announced Friday.

Nashville International Airport could soon be renamed after Tennessee icon Dolly Parton, the governor and airport announced Friday.

The beloved country legend and philanthropist, who hailed from rural Tennessee, died Tuesday at the age of 80.

The airport and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the intent to name the airport in her honor to create “a lasting tribute to her indelible legacy and the generations of people she inspired across Tennessee and around the world,” they said in a news release.

The proposal to rename the airport will be addressed at a meeting on Sept. 17.Seth Herald / Getty Images fileLee spoke with Parton’s team about the proposal this week and they expressed “their appreciation,” the governor said.

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said. “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.”