Dolly Parton’s Nephew Accused of Making ‘Threats of Real-World Violence’ Against Staff and Business Partners

Just after the news broke that Dolly Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, was removed from his security duties at the country singer’s properties, more details about the situation have surfaced.

According to a recently filed lawsuit, Seaver allegedly threatened to smear his famous aunt’s legacy and even went so far as to threaten her employees. He had been Parton’s head of security for more than 20 years before being terminated by Parton’s estate earlier this month.

The lawsuit was filed by She’s Alive, LLC (SAL), an organization established by the country music icon to protect her legacy following her death. In the court documents, SAL claimed that Seaver had become “emboldened” following his aunt’s death on August 25.

“Mr. Seaver began his campaign of threats, intimidation, and coercion a few weeks prior to Ms. Parton’s passing,” SAL’s filing reads. “In writing, he vowed to ‘destroy the entire brand’ and also told her entertainment attorney: “I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer.’”

SAL further stated that Parton “loved and cared for her family very deeply” and had employed family members with skills that fit the needs of her business. Seaver’s sister Rebecca is also employed by Parton, serving as an executive director for the singer’s ife of Many Colors Museum.

Seaver’s behavior allegedly started weeks before his aunt’s death. SAL claimed in the filing that he had threatened to smear the country star’s brand and “inflict reputational and economic harm” on those who were entrusted to protect it. The organization accused Seaver of planning to launch a podcast dedicated to ruining her brand partnerships if he didn’t get paid.

Along with the alleged smear campaign, SAL accused Seaver of making “threats of real-world violence” to Parton’s employees, partners, and legal/business advisors. The organization noted it was “armed with a duty to protect the employees and partners who promote [Parton’s] brand and partnership.”

The organization had also filed for a temporary restraining order against Seaver, which has since been granted.

Seaver and his team have since responded to the allegations by telling TMZ that they were “dismayed by the unexpected and, so far, unexplained actions” taken by Parton’s longtime manager Danny Nozell and Pinnacle Bank following the country singer’s death.

“We remain unshakably resolved to fulfill her final directive to protect her family,” their statement reads. “And we refuse to be intimidated by those whose actions we believe are being taken in bad faith and with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much.”

Seaver was the family member who had publicly announced Parton’s death in a video posted on her social media accounts.

“As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now,” he said in the video.

Seaver also said that the video was something Parton requested of him years before he “fully absorbed” it as a “future reality.”

“Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus,” he further shared. “Surely met by [her late husband] Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”