Dolly Parton’s death has barely settled in, but fans are already fighting to make sure her name lives on.
The country music legend had already spent decades building a legacy through music, business, acting, and philanthropy, but now fans want more.
Dolly Parton died at 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. Her Imagination Library alone became one of her most recognizable charitable efforts, distributing books to children around the world.
Parton’s fans have begun signing a petition to change the airport’s name in honor of the late singer. The petition was created in January 2025 by Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion.
Its creators argued that Parton’s influence on Tennessee made her deserving of a landmark as significant as Nashville International Airport. They specifically pointed to her music, philanthropy, and Imagination Library, which had already gifted more than 100 million books when the petition was created.
After Parton’s August 25 death, the petition suddenly received a massive wave of new support. Organizers said tens of thousands of people visited and signed after her passing, describing the renewed response as an effort to keep her “light and magic” alive across Tennessee and beyond.
The petition has since climbed well past 120,000 verified supporters, showing how strongly fans want her name attached to the city. The petition issue says, “It’s difficult to imagine a world without our Dreamer-In-Chief. How are we going to be okay without her magic to keep us safe?”
According to the Change.org petition, supporters believe it would honor a Tennessee legend whose influence reached far beyond entertainment, while welcoming visitors to the state through the name of one of its most recognizable figures. The campaign even uses the playful line, “We could all be Departin’ from Parton!”
The Push Has Already Reached Tennessee Leaders
The campaign is no longer only a fan-led idea, as Tennessee State Senator Todd Warner has pledged to introduce legislation supporting the proposed name change.
Nashville City Councilor Russ Bradford has also backed the idea and said few people have done more to define Nashville for the rest of the world. However, Bradford clarified that Metro Council can only express support, while the final decision belongs to the Metro Nashville Airport Authority.
The response has also reached Tennessee lawmakers preparing for the next legislative session. Tennessee House Deputy Speaker Jason Zachary said lawmakers had already begun discussing how to honor someone whose impact was difficult to match. He suggested that Parton’s legacy deserved something bigger than a statue or bust.
The effort is also unusual because Parton was viewed as a figure who crossed political and cultural lines. Representative John Ray Clemmons said Republicans and Democrats planned to work together on a tribute because she “was not a divisive figure.” Meanwhile, Dollywood confirmed that the park would remain open on Wednesday, honoring her wishes that “the show must go on.”
New York City’s Tribute To Dolly Parton
The airport campaign is not the only major tribute that followed Parton’s death. The Empire State Building joined the celebration on August 25 by lighting its tower pink in honor of the singer. The building remained illuminated for an hour, turning a familiar New York landmark into a temporary memorial for the Tennessee icon.
The Blast reported that the lights began glowing at 9:25 p.m. ET, creating a clever connection to Parton’s signature hit “9 to 5.” Parton wrote the 1980 song for the movie of the same name, which also marked her mainstream acting debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The song later earned Parton two Grammy Awards.
The choice of pink also carried a personal connection to Parton’s image. The color became closely associated with her glamorous style, alongside her rhinestones, wigs, and bold makeup. She once described herself as a “painted doll” and famously wrote, “No such thing as too much pink!” in a 2019 social media post.
Parton Once Declined Donald Trump’s Honor
Parton’s relationship with political honors was complicated by her determination to remain neutral. She declined the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Donald Trump’s first term, initially because her husband, Carl Dean, was ill. The medal is the highest civilian honor.
When the honor was offered again, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from traveling to accept it. Parton had spent much of her career avoiding partisan politics despite repeatedly becoming part of political conversations.
In 2016, she clarified that she had not endorsed either Trump or Hillary Clinton after comments about Clinton’s qualifications were interpreted as an endorsement. Her refusal to publicly align with either side remained consistent in later elections.
The late singer also revealed that Joe Biden presented her the medal. “Now I feel like if I take it, I’ll be doing politics, so I’m not sure,” she said. Trump later honored Parton after her passing, describing her death as a loss for millions and ordering American flags lowered nationwide for one week, as shared by The Blast.
Inside Dolly Parton’s Private Health Battle
Parton had been dealing with several health problems before her death. It was reported that she was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center on August 23 with kidney and autoimmune issues, just two days before she died.
Her representative later revealed that she had also been facing a brief battle with cancer, although the type of cancer was not disclosed. Her health struggles had already affected her professional plans before her final hospitalization.
She had canceled her Las Vegas residency after previously postponing it and missed other public appearances, including the opening of a new Dollywood attraction. Days before her death, she said that she had neglected her own health while caring for Dean, who died in March 2025.
The Blast reported that despite those setbacks, Parton was still planning for the future. She was preparing to launch her SongTeller Hotel in Nashville in September 2026, while also exploring avatar performances and working on a Broadway project about her life.
Parton’s death may have ended her plans, but the airport petition, public tributes and continuing work around her legacy show that her name is already proving difficult to leave behind.
