Brandon Blackstock’s Parents and His Enduring Bond with Reba McEntire

The death of Brandon Blackstock at 48 from cancer has brought renewed attention to his deep personal and professional ties within the country music world — including his long-standing connection to Reba McEntire, who once described him as her “son forever.”

Like his father, Narvel Blackstock, Brandon built a career as a respected talent manager. Narvel, a prominent figure in the industry, has guided the careers of stars such as Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, and Kelly Clarkson. In 1988, he co-founded Starstruck Entertainment with McEntire, then his wife. Brandon’s path into Clarkson’s life came through these music industry ties. Narvel became Clarkson’s personal manager in 2008, and by the time she sang the national anthem at the 2012 Super Bowl, Brandon was there — marking the night they first connected.

The two married in 2013, with Brandon later taking over as Clarkson’s manager. In a 2018 Marie Claire interview, Clarkson described the unique dynamic of being married to her manager: “He’s really talented at what he does and his mind really does work in a completely different way. I’m always like, ‘Is this your manager hat?’ And he’ll go, ‘Oh, is this your artist hat? Are we going there?’”

Brandon and Clarkson went on to have two children together, River and Remington. He also had two children, Savannah and Seth, from a previous relationship.

Brandon’s mother, Elisa Gilbert (formerly Elisa Gayle Ritter), was Narvel’s first wife. After their divorce, Narvel married Reba McEntire in 1989. The couple had one son together, race car driver Shelby Blackstock, and blended their families, with Brandon becoming Reba’s stepson. Their marriage lasted 26 years before ending in 2015. Despite the separation, McEntire and Narvel maintained a professional relationship and mutual respect.

McEntire has long embraced Brandon and his children as family. In a 2018 People interview, she referred to Brandon and Clarkson’s children as her grandchildren, even though busy schedules kept them from seeing each other often. “I’ve got seven grandchildren, so they’re scattered all over the country and busy doing stuff. But I love them,” she said.

When Clarkson filed for divorce from Brandon in 2020, McEntire publicly affirmed that the split would not change her love for him. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, she said, “Brandon’s been my son forever, it seems. Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total — my blood, so I’m praying for them both because I love them both.”

Clarkson has echoed that sentiment, making it clear that her friendship with McEntire remains strong. During a 2023 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, she explained, “I think we’re both women of sound mind that know that life doesn’t work out sometimes… no hard feelings there, just feelings.”

Brandon Blackstock’s life was defined not only by his work in music management but also by a network of close family bonds that endured through marriages, divorces, and decades of change. His relationship with Reba McEntire stands as a testament to the idea that family can transcend bloodlines — and that love, once given, doesn’t fade with circumstance.