Thousands Lobby to Name Nashville Airport After Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton International Airport? You bet– if 45,000 fans get their way!

According to Nashville local news station WKRN, nearly 45-thousand fans have signed a change.org petition lobbying to change Nashville International Airport for the legendary country singer.

It all started when Tennessee Republican Rep. Toddy Warner introduced legislation focused on renaming Nashville International Airport (BNA) after President Donald Trump. That bill before the Tennessee House of Representatives would rechristen the airport “Trump International Airport.”

But Dolly Parton fans had different ideas and started a petition to rename the airport for Dolly Parton.

“We’re talking about a woman who is an archangel for Tennessee,” petition co-organizer Lydia Popovich told WKRN.

Petition Makes a Case For Nashville Travelers to Be ‘Departin’ From Parton’

The petition on change.org reads:

“As proud citizens of Tennessee, we are motivated by our deep-rooted admiration for the national treasure and Tennessee legend, Dolly Parton.

She is not only a celebrated artist who encourages love, acceptance, and goodwill through her music, but also a philanthropist, known for her countless contributions to society. It is only fitting that an institution as significant as Nashville International Airport carries the name of such a remarkable woman. Dolly has made substantial impacts on thousands of lives, especially through her Imagination Library program, which has gifted over 100 million books to children since it began in 1995. Dolly’s philanthropic efforts, her outstanding influence in the music industry, and the love she has instilled in our hearts through her actions and songs, truly make her a deserving candidate to have the Nashville International Airport named after her.

We request that the airport’s name be changed to Dolly Parton International Airport to honor an icon who has given so much to our state and to the world. Sign the petition to make this change a reality. We could all be Departin’ from Parton!!”

Dolly Parton Has Turned Down Similar Honors in the Past

So far, there’s been no comment from Dolly Parton about the effort to rename the airport in her honor. But in 2021, state lawmakers introduced legislation to put a statue of Parton at the Tennessee State Capitol. But while Parton thanked the legislature for considering the bill, she asked lawmakers to remove it “from any and all consideration.” The singer said she didn’t think it was appropriate at that time.

Parton told lawmakers, “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.”