Dolly Parton's Sisters Deny Family Feud Amid Legal Battle Over Estate
Relatives of the late country music icon speak out against rumors of infighting, asserting unity following a restraining order against her nephew.
Dolly Parton's sisters are publicly refuting claims of a family feud, emphasizing their unity as a legal dispute involving the singer's estate has surfaced.
Freida Parton addressed the rumors on Instagram, stating, "there is no feud within our family." She asserted that no one in the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly Parton's estate and expressed love for her nephew, Bryan Seaver, and the rest of the family. Her sister, Stella Parton, echoed this sentiment, sharing on Instagram that the family is navigating their grief together and that their children and grandchildren rely on them for strength.
The statements come as Parton's longtime manager, Danny Nozell, acting on behalf of She's Alive, LLC, filed for a temporary restraining order against Bryan Seaver and his security company. The legal action, filed in Nashville, was granted by a Tennessee judge.
According to court documents obtained by The Associated Press, the restraining order was issued due to alleged threats and demands for payment. The filing cited Seaver's "claimed access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate," labeling the communications as "concerning."
Nozell and She's Alive accused Seaver of sending increasingly threatening messages in the weeks prior to the restraining order request, which followed Seaver's termination by She's Alive for alleged "terrorizing conduct."
Court documents included text messages and emails allegedly from Seaver. One message from September 1 stated, "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."
Seaver has pushed back against these allegations, telling TMZ that the messages were taken out of context to appear threatening. Seaver's company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, had previously provided security for Parton. Parton had reportedly chosen Seaver to publicly announce her death.