Nashville Airport Board Unanimously Approves Dolly Parton Name Change

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Sep 11, 2026 11:11am PT

‘Dolly Parton International Airport’ Moves Closer to Becoming a Reality, as Nashville Airport Board Votes Unanimously for Name Change

By Chris Willman

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Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

ChrisWillman

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The idea of renaming Nashville’s airport for Dolly Parton was not just an easily forgotten pipe dream that popped up in the days following the superstar’s death in August. The proposal moved a big step closer to reality Friday, as the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted 6-0 to officially start the process of changing the airport’s name in her honor.

What exactly the new name would be has not been settled — although Dolly Parton International Airport appears to be the obvious de facto possibility — and there are further approvals yet to come. But Nashville locals seem more convinced than ever, in the wake of the unanimous vote and previous support from top governmental officials, that this is all but a done deal.

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_Originally reported by [Variety Music](https://variety.com/2026/music/news/dolly-parton-nashville-airport-name-change-vote-unanimous-1236858896/)._