Story perspectives

Nashville Airport to Be Renamed “Dolly Parton International”

9/7/2026

Summary

Dolly Parton Airport

Governor Bill Lee announced Nashville International Airport will be renamed “Dolly Parton International Airport.”
Middle Tennessee State University displayed a commemorative patch and QR codes for Imagination Library donations at its home opener.
The Imagination Library program has distributed over 200 million books to children worldwide.
Dolly Parton received an honorary doctorate from the University of Tennessee in 2009 for philanthropy and music.

Summary

Tennessee Honors Dolly

Tennessee beat Furman 56-9 while honoring Dolly Parton.
Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
All players wore orange helmet stickers with Parton's name all season.
The Pride of the Southland band formed a ‘Dolly’ shape and performed ‘9 to 5’ at halftime.
Over 102,000 fans sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ during the tribute video.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Dolly Parton founded the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library, mailing a free book each month to children from birth to kindergarten. By 2023 the program operates in over 1,600 communities across five countries, serving roughly 850,000 children monthly. Governor Bill Lee’s decision to rename Nashville International Airport after Parton ties the literacy effort to her broader economic and tourism impact.

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Dolly Parton Airport

Governor Bill Lee announced Nashville International Airport will be renamed “Dolly Parton International Airport.”
Middle Tennessee State University displayed a commemorative patch and QR codes for Imagination Library donations at its home opener.
The Imagination Library program has distributed over 200 million books to children worldwide.
Dolly Parton received an honorary doctorate from the University of Tennessee in 2009 for philanthropy and music.

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