Dolly Parton died in late August. It's been a moment that has rattled the entertainment industry, inspiring many tributes to her career, music, and social legacy.
A blip in all of this has been the drama surrounding her estate, which recently fired Bryan Seaver, Parton's nephew and long-term head of security. It's resulted in an escalating legal issue that has shocked onlookers and Nashville residents.
© GettyFollowing Parton's death, Seaver was terminated from his position, with the estate accusing him of making threatening comments towards Parton's business associates.
Her business associates work for She's Alive LLC, a business that Parton arranged before her death to protect her professional and business interests. The company is operated by her longtime manager, Danny Nozell.
© Getty ImagesThe news has shaken Nashville, a city that's been mourning Parton for the past month. “That anyone would want to abuse her memory or take advantage of a family and community in grief is despicable and the antithesis of everything Dolly stood for,” said a source to PEOPLE.
Court documentation shows that different lawyers and members involved with Parton's estate quit after Seaver threatened them.
Seaver has denied the allegations. “I’ve never threatened anyone,” he said to NBC News. “They are my friends and my brothers and colleagues.”
Parton's family supports Seaver
© Getty ImagesIn the case of the Parton family, many of them have come forward to stand up for Seaver. Dolly's sisters Freida and Stella shared a statement on Facebook, sharing that there was no feud in the family.
“No one among the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly’s estate,” wrote Freida. “We all love Bryan, just as we all love each other.”
Seaver is the son of Dolly's eldest sister, Cassie. He's served as Dolly's head of security for the past 11 years and has been involved in many of Parton's events, including having a brief appearance on her TV music film "A Smoky Mountain Christmas."
He initially shared the news of Dolly's death through an Instagram video, revealing that she had entrusted him with delivering the news to the world. He also shared that he'd taken over the head of security position from Dolly Parton's father, Larry.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said in the clip.
© JB Lacroix
