Petition aims to rename Nashville airport after Dolly Parton

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Petition aims to rename Nashville airport after Dolly Parton

Research

Christine Gallipeau Senior editor | The Points Guy

By Sky Industry News

Apr 15, 2025

Dolly Parton supporters are pushing to have Nashville International Airport renamed in honor of the country music legend. A Change.org petition, backed by nearly 50,000 signatures, calls for the airport to bear Parton's name, citing her influence beyond music and her philanthropic work.

A petition signer named Bonnie remarked, "Dolly Parton represents the best of us. A true humanitarian, she sets an example for all of us." Allen, another supporter, described the initiative as "a cause we can truly all get behind."

The petition was launched by Dolly Parton fans Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion in January, describing the artist as a "national treasure" and a Tennessee icon. It highlights Parton's contributions through her Imagination Library program, which has provided over 100 million books to children since 1995. Organizers quip that departures could be humorously termed "departin' from Parton.”

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Opened in 1937, Nashville International Airport was initially known as Berry Field Nashville, named after its fist airport administrator, Col. Harry S. Berry. It was renamed in 1988. The airport currently offers a live music series and a guest pass program for nonticketed visitors.

While Dolly Parton has expressed her amusement over the initiative, describing it as "probably more of a joke than anything," she acknowledged that it would be entertaining to have flights "departin' from Nashville's D. Parton." At present, according to Dion, the petition is in an early stage of gathering interest and supporters rather than seeking legislative action.

The effort comes amid mixed outcomes for similar endeavors. A proposal to rename the airport for President Donald Trump was rejected in March by the Tennessee House of Representatives. Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority officials communicated that the current name is a "globally recognized brand."

Other airports have successfully undergone name changes to honor celebrities, such as John Wayne Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. However, attempts like the one for Pittsburgh International Airport after Fred Rogers have not materialized.