Brandon Blackstock, former husband of Kelly Clarkson, has died at the age of 48 after a more than three-year battle with cancer. A family representative confirmed he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, and asked for privacy during this difficult time.
On August 6, Kelly Clarkson revealed that her ex-husband had been fighting an illness and postponed her Las Vegas residency to focus on their children, River, 11, and Remington, 9. Blackstock was also father to Savannah and Seth from a previous marriage and became a grandfather in 2022 when Savannah welcomed her son, Lake.
In March 2024, Blackstock was spotted at the Houston Rodeo with River, Remington, his brother Shelby, and Shelby’s mother, Reba McEntire. Reba was married to Brandon’s father, music manager Narvel Blackstock, from 1989 to 2015. Narvel once managed Clarkson, and she first met Brandon during a 2006 ACM Awards rehearsal, when he was still married to his first wife, Melissa Ashworth.
Brandon Blackstock was born on December 16, 1976, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Narvel Blackstock and Elisa Gayle Ritter. As the stepson of country legend Reba McEntire, he grew up immersed in the music industry and followed in his father’s footsteps as a talent manager. Over the years, he worked with major country artists including Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.
He began dating Clarkson in 2012, and the couple became engaged later that year before marrying in October 2013. Together they had two children, River Rose and Remington Alexander.
In 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce after nearly seven years of marriage. The split was contentious, with legal disputes over their Montana ranch, spousal support, and unpaid commissions. Blackstock fought to keep the ranch he was living in, but Clarkson was ultimately awarded ownership and successfully sought to have him evicted.
Their divorce was finalized in 2022, with Clarkson receiving primary custody of their children. The year prior, Blackstock had stepped away from the entertainment industry to focus on ranching in Montana, launching a business called Valley View Rodeo.
Blackstock leaves behind his four children, a grandson, and a legacy in both the country music industry and ranching.