A dispute over the estate of late country legend Dolly Parton has erupted between the icon's longtime manager, Danny Nozell, and the family member who announced her death, nephew Bryan Seaver.
At the time of her death, Parton's estate was estimated to be worth between $450 million and $650 million. Nozell now runs She's Alive LLC, which manages Parton's estate. Nozell filed a restraining order against Seaver in Nashville on Sept. 22, alleging intimidation and threats related to the estate.
Who is Danny Nozell?
A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Nozell is the founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, a global talent management and entertainment company based in Nashville. He started out in show promotions before transitioning into tour management, and has since served as a primary
manager for everyone from Parton to KC and the Sunshine Band, country artist Kellie Pickler and heavy metal icons from the band Megadeth. One of his first clients was the hard rock band Slipknot. He worked with Slipknot in various capacities from 1997 until 2003, eventually becoming the band's manager.
Described on the CTK Enterprises website as a "titan of the entertainment industry," Nozell also operates NOZ Entertainment (TV and film production), Nash Aviation (private jet brokerage) and other businesses including three record labels, Dolly Records, Butterfly Records and CTK Records.
Nozell also describes extensive experience in global branding partnerships, which he has cultivated since becoming Parton's manager in 2005. He is widely credited with revitalizing her touring career in the following years, and setting Parton on her late trajectory of international concert tours, albums, consumer product partnerships, clothing, books, films, musicals, her new Tennessee travel stop and more.
In the 2019 Netflix film "Dolly Parton: Here I Am," he described helping turn Parton from "a heritage act" into a modern superstar. He told MusicWeek it wasn't just about "slapping" Parton's name on a product. She and her team made sure every deal had "quality," "quantity" and "ethics."
"What Dolly ensured is we don't want to do anything that she wouldn't use herself and that she doesn’t approve of herself," Nozell said. "She is heavily involved."
The Sept. 22 lawsuit accuses Seaver, who is a military veteran and was employed as a private military contractor during the Iraq War, of "invok[ing] that military and mercenary background while threatening" various Parton family members and those running the LLC managing Parton's estate.
The suit was filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, and Seaver has not yet filed a response. The Tennessean left Seaver a voicemail and text seeking comment on the morning of Sept. 23.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who is Danny Nozell? Dolly Parton's former manager in estate dispute
