Nashville International Airport renamed after Dolly Parton

Nashville International Airport is being renamed after country music icon Dolly Parton.

Nashville International Airport is set to be renamed after Dolly Parton.

The country music icon passed away on Tuesday (25.08.26), aged 80, and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport have now announced their intention to rename the transport hub in her honour.

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

“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 favourite daughter and greet travellers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness.”

Doug Kreulen, the president and CEO of Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, believes Dolly’s “remarkable legacy” needs to be recognised.

He said: “Nashville International Airport 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.

“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 Nashville International Airport, 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 Nashville International Airport and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared with Tennessee and the world.”

Dolly passed away after a “brief battle with cancer”.

In a statement given to People, her team said: “Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.

“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.

“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”