Sept. 22, 2026Up to date Sept. 23, 2026, 10:55 p.m. ET
Dolly Parton’s property requested and been granted a brief restraining order in opposition to the late nation singer’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, after he was fired from offering safety for her properties.
She’s Alive, LLC (SAL), the entity Parton designed to guard her legacy after her loss of life, filed a lawsuit Sept. 22 alleging Seaver threatened to smear his aunt’s legacy and made violent threats in opposition to a number of staff.
Because the “Jolene” singer died on Aug. 25, her longtime supervisor Danny Nozell and Pinnacle Financial institution have overseen the administration and operations of her belief.
USA TODAY reached out to Bryan Seaver by means of his safety firm and Nozell for remark.
“Mr. Seaver started his marketing campaign of threats, intimidation, and coercion a number of weeks previous to Ms. Parton’s passing,” states the lawsuit, obtained by the Nashville Tennesean, a part of the USA TODAY Community. “In writing, he vowed to ‘destroy the whole model’ and likewise advised her leisure legal professional: ‘I’m not an leisure particular person. I’m a killer.'”
Seaver acquired a termination discover on Sept. 16 after greater than 20 years serving as his aunt’s head of safety, a task he assumed from his late father, Larry Seaver, in line with TMZ. The outlet printed the termination letter, which notified him that every one of Bryan Seaver’s companies “are formally dismissed and terminated” and acknowledged that cotrustees will contact him relating to his curiosity as a belief beneficiary.
What’s Bryan Seaver accused of?
The lawsuit alleges that Bryan Seaver “inflicted reputational and financial hurt” on these entrusted to guard the Grammy-winning musician’s model. Bryan Seaver is accused of threatening to begin a podcast supposed to spoil Dolly Parton’s model partnerships until he was paid.
The lawsuit additionally claimed Bryan Seaver made “threats of real-world violence” in direction of the singer’s workers, companions, and authorized and enterprise advisors, “allegedly usually invoking his background as a navy contractor. One of many filings stated these are the explanations for his termination.
“Because the entity entrusted by Ms. Parton to guard and promote her life’s work for future generations, SAL should domesticate a secure work surroundings for workers, advisors, and companions, free from intimidation or hostility — significantly intimidation by an armed former safety contractor,” the lawsuit states. “With out reduction, Defendants’ calculated marketing campaign will proceed to inflict concern, to destabilize SAL’s operations, and to trigger additional irreparable hurt.”
What has Bryan Seaver stated?
In a press release to TMZ shared on Sept. 21, Bryan Seaver stated he and his groups have been “dismayed by the surprising and, to this point, unexplained actions” taken by Nozell and Pinnacle Financial institution.
“We stay unshakably resolved to satisfy her ultimate directive to guard her household, and we refuse to be intimidated by these whose actions we imagine are being taken in unhealthy religion and with the intent to revenue from the life of somebody who willingly gave a lot,” the assertion reads.
Bryan Seaver introduced his aunt’s loss of life in an Aug. 25 video shared on social media the place he stated he first adopted Dolly Parton on the street when he was a child within the early Eighties and bought a style of the doorways she opened for her household “to succeed in the potential we did not even know was potential.” Within the video, he stated that Dolly Parton personally requested him to disclose her loss of life.
“My household and I’ve shared a lifetime of lovely reminiscences with Dolly, however so have you ever,” Bryan Seaver stated within the video. “She has at all times been in your tv, your file participant, your CD, and in your telephone playlist, changing into an prolonged a part of your loved ones, whether or not you appreciated it or not.”
Who’s Bryan Seaver?
Bryan Seaver is the son of Dolly’s youthful sister Cassie Parton and Larry Seaver.
Along with overseeing the “9 to five” singer’s safety operations, Bryan Seaver is the CEO of Squadron Augmented Safety Providers, a Nashville-based firm providing government safety, property safety, enterprise intelligence, Okay-9 companies, and occasion safety, in line with his LinkedIn web page.
As Dolly Parton’s head of safety, Bryan Seaver labored to guard his aunt, her residences, and her skilled properties.
His sister Rebecca Seaver serves as government director of Dolly Parton’s Nashville museum.
Contributing: Sameen Chaudhry and Liza Esquibias, USA TODAY




