Petition to rename Nashville airport after Dolly Parton gains support

A petition to rename Nashville International Airport after the late country music icon Dolly Parton is rapidly gaining support, with a state lawmaker announcing plans to introduce legislation to make the change. The effort has surged since Parton's death on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. The Change.org petition, titled "Rename Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport," was originally launched in January 2025. It had gathered around 53,000 signatures over the following year and a half. However, in the hours and days after Parton's passing, the signature count exploded.