Aug. 29 (UPI) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Friday said he wants to rename Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton.
Lee said he wants to create a lasting tribute to the “indelible legacy” of the country music legend, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her.
“At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness.”
Lee said Parton’s team was “touched by the idea.” The 11-time Grammy winner had lived in Nashville since the 60s.
The proposal will be discussed by the Metro Nashville Airport Authority at its next meeting on Sept. 17.
Parton died after “bravely facing a brief battle with cancer,” her publicist said. Her career spanned more than six decades.
Alongside her Grammy Awards, she earned three Emmy Awards, an honorary Academy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her many hits included “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” which was famously covered by Whitney Houston.