Dolly Parton’s estate has named her niece, Danielle Parton, as its new brand ambassador to continue the late country icon’s legacy amid an ongoing legal battle involving the Queen of Country’s nephew.
In an announcement shared Thursday, Danielle said she is “so grateful to help care for a legacy” that means “so much” to her family and to Parton’s fans.
The 50-year-old, who works as a pilot and has her own moonshine distillery company, will help honor Parton’s impact after the singer died in August at age 80 following a “brief battle” with cancer.
Danielle, daughter of the singer’s younger brother Bobby Lee Parton and Doris Maxine Nolan, said in the video: “Like so many of you, losing her has changed something for me. It made me think of the stories, values, and lessons that she left behind, and the responsibility that our family has to care for them.”
She told fans that she would “never try and speak for Dolly,” but instead remind the world of the legacy and stories “behind the global icon.”
“I’m not crazy enough to try to fill her shoes. God knows I couldn’t walk on them without killing myself,” Danielle continued, referring to her aunt’s signature stiletto heels.
“What I can do is share the woman that I knew. I can tell some of the stories of her, the stories behind the global icon, and support the people carrying forward the work that she cared for and created to make sure what she built continues to bring people joy,” she added.
“Yes, Dolly Parton was my aunt, but to me, she will always be Aunt Granny,” Danielle said. “She loved us deeply, believed in big dreams, and she always encouraged me to find my way in this world.”
The post’s caption read: “Being a Parton means hard work, big dreams and never forgetting where you came from. I’m proud to be part of that legacy and to carry it on in my own way.”
The announcement comes amid an ongoing legal battle between Parton’s estate, and her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, the son of her sister Cassie Parton. Seaver was the one who announced Parton’s death to the world.
A series of troubling allegations have led to Seaver being fired from his security role by Parton’s estate. Last month, the estate was granted a temporary restraining order against Seaver.
Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager, requested the order against Seaver in a Tennessee court on behalf of She's Alive LLC, the company that now manages Parton’s business empire. The filing claimed that Seaver’s “terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable” and also alleged that Seaver began a campaign of intimidation in the weeks leading up to Parton’s death in an attempt to obtain significant sums of money.
In an statement to TMZ, Seaver denied the allegation that he was attempting to extort money from the estate, but maintained other claims were simply taken out of context.
The next court hearing in the legal saga is slated for November 3.
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