It’s Official: Nashville’s airport is being renamed after the late country icon Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton 's name is set to become part of the Nashville skyline in a way that would have been difficult to imagine during her lifetime.

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority's board of commissioners voted unanimously on Friday to begin the process of renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of the Tennessee-born country music superstar.

The vote was 6-0, although officials stressed that the airport does not yet have a finalized new name.

The decision comes only weeks after Parton's death at the age of 80 on August 25. It also follows a huge wave of public support for the idea, including a petition launched by fan Lydia Popovich that collected more than 175,000 signatures.

For Nashville, the significance extends beyond a ceremonial name change. The airport is the primary gateway for visitors arriving in Music City, and Parton's career helped make Tennessee one of the world's most recognizable destinations for country music.

The airport authority emphasized that Friday's vote was only the beginning: “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.”

Officials described the decision as the "first step in a multifaceted process," with further details expected in the coming months.

The final wording of the airport's name will be determined through discussions involving airport leadership and Parton's representatives, including the Dollywood Foundation. A proposal previously approved by Nashville's Metropolitan Council specifically requested the name "Dolly Parton International Airport," but the airport authority has not formally adopted that wording.

A tribute that Parton once said should wait until after her death

There is an unusual element to the timing of the decision: Parton herself had previously declined another major proposal to honor her in Tennessee while she was alive.

In 2021, lawmakers considered creating a statue of Parton on the Tennessee Capitol grounds. More than 25,000 people had signed a petition supporting the idea, but Parton asked legislators to withdraw the proposal.

“I want to thank Tennessee legislature for their consideration of a bill to erect a statue of me on the Capitol grounds. I am honored and humbled by their intention but I have asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill from any and all consideration. Given all that is going on in the world, I don't think it's appropriate at this time. I hope, though, that somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I'm gone if you still feel I deserve it, then I'm certain I will stand proud in our great State Capitol as a grateful Tennessean. In the meantime, I'll continue to try to do good work to make this great state proud,” she wrote at the time.