Reba McEntire Mourns Former Stepson Brandon Blackstock, 48, After Private Cancer Battle

Country music legend Reba McEntire is grieving the loss of her former stepson, Brandon Blackstock, who died this week at the age of 48 after a more than three-year battle with cancer. Blackstock, a talent manager and former husband of singer Kelly Clarkson, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, according to an emotional statement released Thursday.

McEntire, 70, was married to Blackstock’s father, Narvel Blackstock, from 1989 to 2015, and has long spoken of her deep bond with all of Narvel’s children, including Brandon. “Brandon’s been my son forever, it seems,” she said in a 2021 interview. “Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total — my blood.” In past interviews, she has stressed that she never considered Brandon, or his sisters Chassidy and Shawna, as stepchildren, but rather as her own.

Brandon, who shared two daughters — River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 8 — with Clarkson, also had two older children, Savannah and Seth, from his first marriage to Melissa Ashworth. In March this year, just months before his passing, Brandon was seen enjoying time with McEntire, her son Shelby, and other family members at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where McEntire performed. The gathering, documented in family photos, showed Brandon smiling in a denim jacket, cowboy hat, and flannel shirt as he posed alongside loved ones, including his children and grandson.

Brandon’s illness had not been widely publicized, though Clarkson hinted at the seriousness of his condition last week when she postponed her remaining Las Vegas residency dates, citing a “family emergency.” In her statement, she wrote that her children’s father had been ill and that she needed to be “fully present” for them.

On Friday, McEntire’s son Shelby paid tribute to his late half-brother on Instagram, calling him “an irreplaceable part of our family — funny, bright, and full of life.” Shelby wrote, “He taught me so much, leaving behind countless cherished memories that I will hold onto forever. For every treasured moment we shared, there are so many more we’ll never get to make together, but I know you’ll still be there.”

The family’s statement described Brandon’s battle with cancer as brave and dignified, thanking fans for their prayers and asking for privacy during this time of grief. While McEntire has not yet made a public statement about his death, her past words make clear the depth of their connection — one built over decades, surviving divorce, and rooted in unconditional love.

Brandon Blackstock’s passing marks the loss of a beloved father, son, brother, and friend whose memory will continue to be honored by those who knew and loved him.