Dolly Parton's Nephew Denies Threatening Manager Amid Estate Dispute

Dolly Parton's nephew, Bryan Seaver, has fiercely disputed claims made by the singer's longtime manager, Danny Nozell, who obtained a temporary restraining order against Seaver. Seaver, who previously served as Parton's security chief, characterized Nozell's legal action as a "publicity stunt" and accused him of taking private communications out of context.

Nozell filed for the restraining order on behalf of Parton's company, She's Alive, LLC, alleging that Seaver had made threats and demanded money. According to legal documents, Nozell claimed Seaver invoked his military-contractor experience, access to weapons, and "capacity for violence," reportedly stating, "All I do is warfare…everyone needs to be worried about what I might do." Nozell also stated that Seaver called himself a "killer."

Seaver countered these assertions in a statement to People, asserting that Parton herself frequently referred to him as "killer" as a private joke within her inner circle. He explained that he was affectionately known as her "baby boy ninja" and that Nozell distorted this nickname to fabricate a threat. "It was a joke we used around her camp," Seaver said, adding that Nozell has "always called me The Killer."

Seaver, whose mother is Parton's sister, Cassie, maintained that the messages cited in the lawsuit were from private conversations with Nozell, whom he considered a friend. He described these exchanges as "rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving" after Parton's death last month at the age of 80. Seaver also stated that his comments about "warfare" and "rat f***ing" an organization were directed at individuals he believed had wronged Parton in business dealings and were not threats against Nozell.

Nozell's filing also indicated that Seaver had threatened to "ruin Dolly's brand partnership" and expose alleged "violations" through a podcast. The manager sought a court order requiring Seaver to stay at least 1,000 feet away from Parton's office and to cease contact with her businesses and affiliates.

In addition to the legal dispute, Seaver and his security organizations, which had protected Parton's Nashville home, museum, and a warehouse, were reportedly terminated and replaced by another company. Insiders suggested that Nozell and Pinnacle Bank were behind this decision. Seaver's team expressed dismay over these actions, stating their resolve to "fulfill her final directive to protect her family" and accusing those involved of acting in bad faith and seeking to profit from Parton's legacy.

Seaver had been appointed by Parton to announce her death to the public. In a video released after her passing, he spoke emotionally about her life and legacy, noting that his father had held the security position before him and that he had worked for Parton for four decades, starting on the road with her in the early 1980s. He highlighted Parton's role in opening doors for her family and for artists globally.

Parton was recently honored with a tribute at the Primetime Emmy Awards and Nashville International Airport is slated to be renamed in her memory.