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.
Lee 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.”
The proposal to rename the airport will be addressed at the Metro Nashville Airport Authority’s meeting Sept. 17.
A petition to rename the airport in honor of Parton, which was started more than a year before her death, has over 160,000 signatures as of Friday night and also garnered responses in support from a Nashville City Council member and a Tennesseee state representative.
The “Queen of Country” died surrounded by loved ones following a brief battle with cancer. Her death was felt across the nation and the world, and inspired heartfelt tributes from fans, celebrities and politicians alike.
Known beyond her music for her extravagant blonde hairdos, Southern charm, wit, generosity and kindness, Parton was beloved by generations. She was also a keen businesswoman and devoted philanthropist, creating the Dollywood Foundation for property relief and educational programs in East Tennessee, as well as Imagination Library, which mails free books to children around the world.
Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
