Dolly Parton's Manager Seeks Restraining Order Against Nephew Amid Legacy Dispute
Longtime manager Danny Nozell claims Bryan Seaver made threats to Parton's brand after her death.
A dispute over the legacy of country music icon Dolly Parton has escalated into a legal battle, with her longtime manager seeking a restraining order against her nephew. Danny Nozell, who manages Parton's business interests through his entity She's Alive, LLC, filed the request Tuesday in Nashville against Bryan Seaver.
Nozell and She's Alive accuse Seaver of sending increasingly threatening messages in the weeks following Parton's death on August 25. The company fired Seaver on September 15, citing his alleged "terrorizing conduct."
Court documents obtained by the Associated Press detail text messages and emails purportedly sent by Seaver. One message from September 1, quoted in the filing, states: "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---ing pay me."
According to the documents, these alleged messages caused alarm within Parton's business circle, leading to resignations from several employees and the departure of her trusts and estates attorney. She's Alive also reportedly hired private security to protect its employees at work and home.
She's Alive is seeking a court order to prevent Seaver from contacting or coming within 1,000 feet of its employees, attorneys, and business partners.
Seaver, however, has denied making threats, stating that his messages were taken out of context and were part of private conversations with Nozell during their mutual grief. He described himself as a "career soldier and military contractor" involved in arms deals for foreign governments, and a "killer" and "security professional." He told TMZ that the exchanges were "two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving."