As a legal dispute involving country music legend Dolly Parton’s longtime manager and nephew grows more contentious, her sister Freida Parton is making one thing clear — she does not consider it a family feud. Dolly died Tuesday, August 25, at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, though her representatives did not disclose the type of cancer she had, as confirmed by People.
While the nation grieves an icon, Dolly’s sister Freida, 69, was forced to address speculation on Wednesday, September 23, after Bryan Seaver, Dolly’s nephew and longtime head of security, was fired.
The matter escalated and gained headlines as he became the subject of a request for a temporary restraining order.
Freida Parton Pushes Back on Feud Talk
“No one among the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly’s estate,” Freida wrote on social media. “We all love Bryan, just as we all love each other.” She ended her message, “I love you all!!”
The escalating legal dispute has drawn attention less than a month after the “Jolene” singer’s death, but Freida’s statement draws a distinction between the court battle and the family’s relationships.
GettyHer message comes as allegations surrounding Seaver remain disputed and the legal process continues. For Freida, however, the public disagreements do not change how she describes the Parton and Owens family’s feelings toward Bryan.
Her message emphasized love and unity at a time when the family is still mourning Dolly’s death.
Why Was Dolly Parton’s Nephew Fired?
Seaver spent more than two decades overseeing security for Dolly and her properties, following in the footsteps of his father, Larry Seaver, according to USA Today.
Dolly personally chose Bryan to announce her death, which he did in a prerecorded video shared on her Instagram account after she died Tuesday, August 25, at 80.
Weeks later, Seaver and his security companies were dismissed from Dolly’s properties. A termination letter obtained by TMZ said replacement security had been arranged and instructed his personnel to “peaceably vacate the Properties at once.”
The letter also said Seaver’s personal interest in the trust remained intact.
Dolly Parton’s Manager Seeks Restraining Order
The dispute escalated when Dolly’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, sought a temporary restraining order against Seaver.
TMZ reported on Tuesday, September 22, that court documents accuse Seaver of threatening and intimidating behavior while allegedly attempting to pressure those managing Dolly’s business interests for money.
The filing seeks to keep him 1,000 feet away from the offices and prevent interference with Dolly’s businesses.
One message included in the filing allegedly read, “All I do is warfare … everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.”
Bryan Seaver Denies Making Threats
Seaver has denied that his messages amounted to threats and argued they were presented without proper context. “However, nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by,” he told TMZ.
He also explained the tone of his private conversations with Nozell, saying, “A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving.”
In a separate statement Wednesday, Seaver called the restraining order “spurious and simply a publicity stunt.”
