She grew up in a one-room cabin in Sevier County with eleven brothers and sisters. She left the Smoky Mountains as a teenager with nothing but talent and determination. She spent sixty years making music that crossed every demographic and political line in America. And now, five days after her death at 80, Tennessee is going to name its busiest airport after her.
Governor Bill Lee made the announcement Friday alongside Nashville International Airport, confirming that the state intends to rename BNA in honor of “Tennessee’s favorite daughter.” Lee’s statement captured it perfectly: “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.”
