Brandon Blackstock Dies: Kelly Clarkson’s Ex-Husband & Reba McEntire’s Former Stepson Was 48

Talent manager Brandon Blackstock, who is the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson and the former stepson of Reba McEntire, has died. The industry figure was 48 years old.

Blackstock’s death was confirmed by a representative for the family by People, who shared the statement, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

Clarkson hinted at Blackstock’s illness on August 6 when she canceled several upcoming shows in Las Vegas. “Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” the former American Idol winner wrote to fans on Instagram. “While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill, and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them.”

Narvel Blackstock, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, and Brandon Blackstock in 2015 (Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)

As mentioned above, Blackstock lived with cancer for more than three years, privately going through the health ordeal until Clarkson’s statement revealed he was going through some kind of illness. TMZ reported that Blackstock’s cancer was melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer.

Blackstock leaves behind four children: his daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9, with Clarkson, as well as daughter Savannah and son Seth from his previous marriage. Blackstock became a grandfather in 2022 when his eldest, Savannah, gave birth to a son, Lake.

Blackstock’s father, Narvel, was married to Reba McEntire from 1989 to 2015, and their son Shelby is Blackstock’s half-brother. Additionally, he leaves behind his other siblings, Shawna and Chassidy.

Along with being a talent manager, Blackstock served as an executive producer on Clarkson’s daytime show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, from 2019 to 2020. The pair were married from 2013 to 2020, when Clarkson filed for divorce. The divorce raised tensions between the two parties as a legal battle ensued over their shared Montana ranch. Ultimately, Clarkson was awarded ownership over the property, but lost a legal fight to evict Blackstock, who had been living there at the time.

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Clarkson and Blackstock finalized their divorce in 2022, and she was ordered to pay him a one-time sum of $1.3 million, plus monthly spousal and child support payments. The pair were engaged in more legal battles, with Blackstock being ordered to pay Clarkson $2.6 million in past commissions for overstepping his legal limits while serving as her manager in 2023, and in 2024 Clarkson filed a lawsuit claiming she may be entitled to more money, but ultimately she and Blackstock withdrew their cases by May of that year.

In 2025, Clarkson’s on-and-off absences from The Kelly Clarkson Show began to stir up speculation about whether or not she was leaving the program, but according to People, the periods of absence stemmed from Blackstock’s illness.