Dolly Parton’s estate has accused the country music icon’s nephew of threatening to commit violence and destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire, requesting a judge to keep him away from its employees and business dealings.
Court documents filed in Nashville offer the first signs of discord in a carefully managed estate process following the singer’s recent death.
Bryan Seaver, who owns a company that provided Parton’s security detail and was selected to announce her passing, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In the temporary restraining order request filed by She’s Alive, the entity managing Parton’s professional property, and other court documents, the company claims Seaver sent increasingly threatening messages. She’s Alive is run by Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager.
Last week, She’s Alive terminated Seaver and Squadron Augmented Protection Services, stating his behavior made their continued working relationship untenable.
The filings detail text messages and emails allegedly sent by Seaver starting shortly before Parton’s death. The communications include threats to damage the brand, with later messages depicting Seaver boasting about his heightened profile and referring to himself as an “international arms dealer”.
In one message written on September 1 and included in the court documents, he said:
“I’m going to set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us. It’s going to be great. Or f——— pay me.”
Seaver also claimed that he worked for private military contractors overseas during the Iraq War, using that background to reinforce his threats.
The situation has reportedly led to the departure of Parton’s primary trusts and estates attorney and the resignation of several She’s Alive employees. The company has since hired private security for its remaining staff.
The requested restraining order seeks to prevent Seaver from contacting or coming within 1,000 feet of She’s Alive employees, attorneys, and business partners, as well as barring him from interfering in its ongoing operations.
Parton wrote hundreds of classic songs over her six-decade career including “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You”—earning over 100 million sales worldwide and more than 1 billion streams.