SPEARS
James

• 1. Early life and family
• 1.1. Later life

James Parnell Spears is the father of American singer Britney Spears, film producer Bryan Spears, and actress-singer Jamie Lynn Spears. In 2008, Britney was placed under a conservatorship led by James. In June 2021, she accused him of guardianship abuse.

Early life and family

James Parnell Spears was born in Kentwood, Louisiana to June Austin Spears (1930–2012), and Emma Jean Spears ({née Forbes; 1934–1966). His mother committed suicide on the grave of her infant son when James was 13. Spears also survived a car accident that killed a football teammate aged 17. At 22, he was arrested on drug and driving while intoxicated charges.

Spears' first wife was Debbie Sanders Cross, who remains his friend. In July 1976, he married his second wife, Lynne Irene Bridges. She filed for divorce in 1980, requesting a temporary restraining order, fearing that he would "become angry when he is served with these papers" and harass or harm her, "especially if he has been drinking alcoholic beverages, as he has done in the past." However, they reconciled and had Britney the following year. They divorced in May 2002 and reconciled without remarrying around 2010. They were seen still united in 2014, but were evidently completely separated by 2020. They have three children: son Bryan Spears (born 1977) and daughters Britney Spears (born 1981) and Jamie Lynn Spears (born 1991). They also have five grandchildren: grandsons Sean Preston Federline (born 2005) and Jayden James Federline (born 2006) from Britney, granddaughters Maddie Briann Aldridge (born 2008) and Ivey Joan Watson (born 2018) from Jamie Lynn, and Sophia Alexandra Spears (born 2011) from Bryan.

Later life

Spears struggled with alcohol later in life and eventually went to rehab in 2004. He later suffered a near-fatal colon rupture in 2019.