Dolly Parton’s estate has accused the country music legend’s nephew of threatening violence and vowing to damage her legacy and business empire. In court filings submitted Tuesday, the estate asked a judge to bar him from contacting its employees or involving himself in its business affairs.
The filings in Nashville mark the first public indication of conflict in the tightly controlled estate proceedings surrounding one of music’s most beloved figures.
Bryan Seaver owns the company that supplied Parton’s security detail and was personally selected by the star to announce her death from cancer last month. He did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.
In a request for a temporary restraining order, She’s Alive — the entity responsible for managing and protecting Parton’s professional assets and business interests — alleges that Seaver sent a series of increasingly threatening messages over several weeks. She’s Alive is operated by Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager.
According to the court documents, She’s Alive last week terminated Seaver and Squadron Augmented Protection Services, stating that his “terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable.”
The filings include text messages and emails that She’s Alive says Seaver sent beginning shortly before Parton’s death. The messages allegedly started with threats to undermine her brand and, after her death, showed Seaver celebrating his newfound notoriety and describing himself as an “international arms dealer.”
In one message dated Sept. 1 and cited in the filings, Seaver wrote: “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.”
The complaint also says Seaver invoked his claimed experience working for private military contractors overseas during the Iraq War as part of the alleged threats.
The alleged messages prompted Parton’s trusts and estates attorney to leave and led several She’s Alive employees to resign, according to the court documents. The company has also hired private security for employees, including protection at their homes, the filings say.
The requested restraining order would prohibit Seaver from communicating with She’s Alive employees, attorneys and business partners or coming within 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) of them. It would also prevent him from interfering with the entity’s business relationships.
Parton wrote hundreds of songs, including classics such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” Her music has generated more than 100 million sales worldwide and more than 1 billion online streams.
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