Mayor Megan Barry appoints Dierks Bentley to Nashville Airport Authority board

Country music star Dierks Bentley has pumped out 15 No. 1 hits, earned 13 Grammy nominations and notched seven gold or platinum albums.

Now, he’s been tapped for a different kind of role — serving on the Metro government board that oversees the Nashville International Airport.

Bentley, who rose to the top of the country charts in 2014 with the song “Drunk on a Plane,” is Mayor Megan Barry’s nominee to fill the latest vacancy on the Nashville Airport Authority’s board of directors.

Barry has nominated Bentley to serve on the authority’s 10-member board to fill the expired term of Rod Essig, the mayor’s office confirmed.

“I am grateful for Dierks Bentley’s willingness to serve the Nashville community on the Airport Authority,” Barry said in a statement to The USA TODAY NETWORK--Tennessee.

“As a leader in the Nashville music industry and as a pilot himself, Dierks brings a unique perspective to the board of the MNAA having flown into hundreds of airports worldwide,” she said. “He will lend an important voice to the Airport Authority which will be managing the $1.2 billion capital investment in the MNAA facilities, while working to make our airport a true international hub for commerce and tourism."

The Metro Council will vote on the appointment next month. The volunteer position receives no compensation.

"I am honored for the opportunity to serve on the Airport Authority board," Bentley said. "I love Nashville and I love aviation. There are many big changes happening in our city right now as it continues to grow so rapidly. I am very excited to get a chance to be involved in facilitating and managing that growth as it pertains to our airports and aviation services."

Bentley, a resident of Nashville since 1994, signed his first record deal in 2001 while playing a weekly gig at Wolfy's Den on Lower Broadway. In January, he headlined his first concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

Barry has shown a penchant for tapping into Nashville’s star power. She picked rocker Jack White to serve on her Council on Gender Equity, and she selected former NFL star Eddie George to co-chair her Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Neither of those task forces have the power of the airport authority, which is tasked with setting policy and voting on capital-spending at both the city's main airport and the John C. Tune Airport. The airport had a $119 million operating budget last year.

► Related: Megan Barry nominates Bill Freeman to airport authority

The authority has big issues ahead. The Nashville International Airport, led by CEO Rob Wigington, is embarking on a $1.2 billion overhaul that will include new parking, more security lines, larger baggage claim and ticketing areas, expanded concourse space and a first-of-its-kind hotel.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.