Unanimous vote sees Nashville Airport move to rename itself after Dolly Parton

Nashville International Airport is set to be renamed in honour of Dolly Parton following a unanimous vote by the governing board. READ MORE: Dolly Parton, 1946-2026: the Queen of Country was a unifying force in a divided world On Friday (September 11), the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority board of commissioners voted 6-0 to start the process of changing the airport’s name in memory of the late country icon. News of Dolly’s death emerged last month, with her cause of death revealed as a “brief battle with cancer” a few days later. Though she had previously told fans she was “dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to” while looking after late husband Carl Dean, the public had no idea of her cancer diagnosis. The push to rename the airport actually predates Parton’s death, with a petition to rename the airport “Dolly Parton International Airport” launched in early 2025. In the wake of her passing, the idea drew further support from across the political spectrum. Republican governor Bill Lee proposed the change shortly after her death, and Nashville’s Democratic mayor, Freddie O’Connell, went on to back it. “At a place where Tennessee welcomes the worl...