Dolly Parton’s estate is dropping its lawsuit against the late singer’s nephew, Bryan Seaver.
The New York Times reported that She’s Alive LLC, the company looking after Parton’s affairs, filed a notice on Thursday, November 5, with state court in Nashville. The legal documents stated the company was voluntarily dismissing the lawsuit. The dismissal was filed without prejudice.
She’s Alive LLC, which is run by Parton’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, originally filed the suit against Seaver in September.
“Mr. Seaver cares deeply about his Aunt Dolly, her music, her family, and the incredible legacy she left behind. He has made a career out of protecting his aunt while she was alive and remains committed to Dolly and his entire family.” Seaver’s attorney, Dominic J. Leonardo, told TMZ on Thursday. “Mr. Seaver is grateful to put this misunderstanding behind him so that the entire family can continue to grieve peacefully and ensure that the bright light of Dolly’s legacy remains entirely untouched.”
Us reached out to Seaver’s attorney and Nozell for comment.
Seaver was Parton’s head of security for more than two decades before he was fired weeks after he announced the “Jolene” singer’s death in August.
Seaver and his security company received a notice on September 16, informing them that their services were no longer required. Seaver’s team were allegedly asked to leave Parton’s properties — including her primary home in Nashville, museum and warehouse — immediately and were swiftly replaced by a brand new security staff.
“We remain unshakably resolved to fulfill her final directive to protect her family,” a rep for Seaver’s security firm, SAPS, told Us in a statement at the time. “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.”
As part of his role prior to his termination, Seaver announced via social media that his aunt died at the age of 80 after a brief, private battle with an undisclosed form of cancer.
“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 a video statement shared to Dolly’s social media pages. “It is an honor — an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly.”
He added, “Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl [Dean, her late husband], her parents and countless others who have watched over her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens. By her example, we believed anything was possible. She never met a door she couldn’t open and the doors she opened made and changed history. My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly [and] so have you.”
Following Seaver’s initial statement, Parton’s representative released an official statement confirming the news.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” her rep said on August 25. “Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.”
