If the more than 54,000 people who signed a petition have their way, Nashville International Airport could indeed be renamed after Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday, Aug. 25, after a brief battle with cancer.
The petition to rename BNA after Parton was initially launched in January 2025 in response to Tennessee legislators who wanted the airport named after President Donald Trump. After initially garnering fewer than 3,000 signatures the month it launched, the petition's total has ballooned since her death.
It makes sense that Tennessee's largest transportation hub would be named after the Locust Ridge native who blossomed into a global icon and became her state's greatest ambassador.
A legacy bigger than any one tribute
Expect Parton's immense legacy to be commemorated in various and
substantial ways throughout the state, especially in East Tennessee, where she was raised, and here in Middle Tennessee, where she launched her career. Her launchpad was the legendary RCA Studio B, where she recorded some of her most enduring songs.
It's rare for one person to live a life so wide-ranging and impactful, but Parton transcended geography and industries, making substantial contributions to film, business, philanthropy, literacy and, of course, music.
So it's not a matter of whether there will be another monument or tribute to Parton. It's a matter of when.
That's why we want to hear from you, the reader.
With the renewed push to have BNA named after Parton, what other tribute should Middle Tennessee create to honor her legacy? Take our poll.
Tacuma R. Roeback is The Tennessean’s community engagement and opinion editor. Reach him at troeback@gannett.com or follow him on X, Bluesky or LinkedIn.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Beyond BNA, how should Tennessee honor Dolly Parton? | Poll
