Officials voted unanimously Friday to rename Nashville International Airport to honor country music legend Dolly Parton, who died last month.
The vote by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority of Tennessee was 6-0, but the MNAA is still deciding on specific changes, according to its website.
“While a final name has not yet been determined, we are working closely with the appropriate parties to thoughtfully determine how Dolly Parton’s name and legacy will be incorporated,” a news release read.
“This vote represents the first step in a multifaceted process. In the coming months, we anticipate having more definitive plans to share regarding the next steps and implementation.”
The board added, “We are grateful for the tremendous support and enthusiasm from our community and Dolly’s fans around the world. We look forward to sharing additional details as plans are finalized.”
The airport’s official X account celebrated the news, posting a message to social media on Friday.
“It’s official! The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners voted unanimously, 6 to 0, to modify our existing naming policy, marking the first step toward renaming Nashville International Airport® in honor of Dolly Parton.”
It’s official! The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners voted unanimously, 6 to 0, to modify our existing naming policy, marking the first step toward renaming Nashville International Airport® in honor of Dolly Parton. pic.twitter.com/e1N7oF6PBo
— Fly Nashville (@Fly_Nashville) September 11, 2026
Tennessee’s GOP Gov. Bill Lee had already put out a statement late last month about working on a “lasting tribute” that was “being envisioned to honor her remarkable life, enduring legacy, and immeasurable impact on Tennessee and beyond.”
“[Parton’s] team expressed their appreciation for the extraordinary outpouring of support to honor Dolly and said they are touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation,” the news release read. “In keeping with the way Dolly lived her life, her team believes she still has a special way of bringing people together for good, and they hope this tribute can be another example of that enduring legacy.”
“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.”
He added, “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.”
This news comes only days after Parton’s sister Stella sat down with CBS host Gayle King to discuss why the singer, author, and actress kept her illness shielded from the public and certain family members.
Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80, and her publicity team later confirmed she passed away “after a brief battle with cancer.”
Stella said Parton didn’t share the details of her struggles because she didn’t want to upset anyone.
“Well, Dolly did not want anybody to tell that, because Dolly could not bear negative things,” she explained. “And she would not have wanted her fans worried about it. She didn’t want a lot of the family worried about it. Some of us knew, the ones of us that were closer.”
In her first interview since her sister, Dolly Parton, died last month, @StellaParton exclusively tells @GayleKing that Dolly did not want people to know she was sick: “She did not want people sad, and she did not want people worried.”
More from their interview airs Thursday on… pic.twitter.com/vrmM0f8CjQ
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 9, 2026
“She did not want people sad,” Stella added. “And she did not want people worried. She’d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love, because she knew that that would make us feel better, as her family.”
Parton was considered an entertainment icon who sold over 100 million records and won 11 Grammy Awards, making her one of the top-selling performers of all time.
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