A grassroots campaign to rename Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton has gained significant momentum following the country music legend's death on Tuesday.

The Change.org petition, originally launched in January 2025 by Nashville comedian Lydia Popovich and producer Dan Dion, seeks to rebrand the facility as Dolly Parton International Airport. It has now collected more than 128,000 signatures as of Thursday morning, with tens of thousands added in the days since Parton's passing at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer.

Nashville Metro Councilmember Russ Bradford announced he is sponsoring a resolution for the city council to support the renaming effort. State Rep. Todd Warner, a Republican, has pledged to introduce legislation in the upcoming session to make the change official, stating he will file the bill if others do not beat him to it.

Fellow country artist Sheryl Crow publicly backed the proposal during an Instagram Live appearance, saying she supports renaming the airport in Parton's honor.

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has acknowledged the outpouring of requests but noted that any name change would need to comply with its existing policy, last updated in 2024. The airport is currently honoring Parton by illuminating its parking garages in pink through the weekend.

Parton, a Sevier County native, was widely celebrated for her contributions to music, entertainment, and philanthropy, including her Imagination Library program that has distributed millions of books to children. The petition highlights her role as an ambassador for Tennessee and Nashville's music industry.

Any formal renaming would ultimately require approval from the airport authority board and potentially the Federal Aviation Administration.