Dolly Parton's estate names her niece Danielle, a pilot, as brand ambassador amid a legal battle with her nephew

Danielle Parton, 50, flew C-130 and C-5 aircraft on combat deployments during 20 years in the Air National Guard. She also runs Shine Girl, a moonshine distillery two doors down from Dollywood. She vowed never to 'try to fill her shoes', joking she couldn't walk in them 'without killing myself'. Her appointment comes as the estate battles her cousin Bryan Seaver in court.

Seaver was fired as security chief in September over alleged threats, which he denies.

A Nashville judge ordered Seaver to keep 1,000 feet from anyone tied to the business.

To Danielle, the global superstar who died on August 25 was always simply 'Aunt Granny'.