Dolly Parton honoured with Nashville Airport tribute following country icon’s death at 80
Nashville International Airport is set to be renamed after Dolly Parton, following the country music legend’s death on Tuesday.
Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee unveiled the proposal to honour the singer, who was born in the rural east of the state and lived there throughout her life.
Governor Lee described Ms Parton’s legacy as inseparable from Tennessee’s identity.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” he said.
Dolly Parton died following a ‘brief battle with cancer’ | GETTY“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 governor discussed the idea with Parton’s representatives this week.
Her team said they were grateful for the overwhelming wave of public support for the tribute and described themselves as moved by the proposal. They indicated a willingness to continue discussions about the renaming.
Dolly Parton lost her husband Carl Dean in 2025. The pair met in 1964 and married two years later | DOLLY PARTON
Ms Parton’s representatives also reflected on her enduring influence, suggesting that even after her passing, she retains a remarkable capacity for uniting people around positive causes.
They expressed hope that the airport tribute could serve as yet another demonstration of that lasting power, a sentiment they said was entirely in keeping with the way Parton conducted herself throughout her life.
Doug Kreulen, the president and chief executive of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, voiced his support for the initiative.
“BNA is the front door to Music City, and with that comes a responsibility to reflect the very best of who we are as a community,” he said.
Dolly Parton had recently cancelled gigs due to her health | GETTY“Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life.
“She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status. At BNA, we share that commitment.
“Whether you are boarding a private aircraft or taking your first flight, you deserve to be welcomed, respected and served with the same level of care.
“That spirit is what defines BNA and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared with Tennessee and the world.”
Dolly Parton has died at 80 years old on Tuesday | GETTY
Ms Parton, who grew up in Sevier County in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, rose to become one of the most celebrated and cherished figures in American musical history.
Her influence stretched well beyond performing, encompassing decades of charitable work and community service.
Her Imagination Library, established in 1995 through the Dollywood Foundation, has distributed close to 200 million free books to young children across five countries, including the United Kingdom. The programme sends more than two million age-appropriate titles each month to registered children from birth to the age of five.
The formal renaming proposal will be considered at a meeting of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority on Thursday 17 September. Further details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
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