After Parton's death two weeks ago, the airport naming idea seemingly caught fire, with a petition reaching more than 175,000 signatures.

In Nashville, Tennessee, Republican and Democratic leaders are in an ugly partisan battle over who controls the city's airport, but they agree on one thing.

Every other week, I fly into Nashville for doctoral classes at Vanderbilt University. Most trips begin the same way: I land at BNA, walk through a terminal filled with music and am reminded that Nashville understands the power of place.