‘There Is No Feud’: Dolly Parton’s Sister Freida Weighs In on Family Drama

Dolly Parton's sister, Freida, has stepped forward to dispel rumors of family drama surrounding the country star's estate. According to Freida, who shared her thoughts on Instagram, there is no feud within the Parton/Owens family. The 69-year-old insists that everyone, including Bryan Seaver, loves Dolly and one another. She described Seaver, who served as Parton's head of security and announced her death on Instagram, as a loved member of the family.

The legal battle, initiated by She's Alive LLC, a company set up by Parton to manage her posthumous finances and business affairs, centers around allegations that Seaver used threats of violence to attempt to extort money from the estate. Screenshots of Seaver’s threatening text messages to Parton's attorney and Nozell, Parton's longtime manager, are included in the lawsuit.

Seaver, with a military background, allegedly "became emboldened" by Parton's death and escalated his threats, indicating that he planned to "ratf—k anyone that has ever betrayed my family."

Despite these accusations, the lawsuit does not seek to strip Seaver of his inheritance, as he remains a beneficiary of Parton's trust. The court documents explicitly state that he is still entitled to a share of the estate. Parton, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 80, was recognized as Billboard's top country artist of all time in 2024.

She had an illustrious career, with 49 albums in the top 10 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and 25 No. 1s on the Hot Country Songs chart for a woman artist. Her contributions were honored with inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.