Reba McEntire’s Special Bond With Late Talent Manager Brandon Blackstock

Reba McEntire, the 70-year-old country music superstar, shared a unique and lasting bond with Brandon Blackstock, who died of cancer this week at the age of 48. Brandon was McEntire’s former stepson from her marriage to music executive Narvel Blackstock, and the two remained close long after the marriage ended.

“Brandon’s been my son forever, it seems,” McEntire told Entertainment Tonight in October 2021, years after her divorce from Narvel. “Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total — my blood.”

A Blended Family Full of Love

McEntire married Narvel Blackstock in 1989, and the couple stayed together for 26 years before divorcing in 2015. Together they had one son, Shelby Blackstock, now 35. Narvel also had three children from his previous marriage to Elisa Gayle Ritter — Brandon, Chassidy, and Shawna — all of whom McEntire has said she considers her own.

“I don’t consider Brandon, Chassidy, and Shawna stepchildren,” McEntire told The Boot in 2010. “I claim them all.”

In December 2023, McEntire told PEOPLE that much of her joy comes from her family’s well-being:

“I’m at a really good place in my life. I’m happy, I’m in love. My kids are all healthy. My family’s healthy. So I’m happy.”

The Connection Between McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, and Brandon Blackstock

Brandon Blackstock married Kelly Clarkson in 2013, and through him, Clarkson and McEntire formed their own friendship. In a 2019 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Clarkson joked, “I ended up marrying your oldest son and you got stuck with me more,” to which McEntire replied, “Thank goodness, thank goodness.”

When Clarkson and Brandon announced their split in 2020, McEntire chose to remain neutral, telling ET in 2021:

“Kelly and I do talk, we text, and I love them both. I can’t play favorites because I’ve been a friend of Kelly for a long time.”

Clarkson echoed the sentiment in 2023 on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen:

“No, not at all [there’s no bad blood]. We were friends before Brandon and I even got together. We text each other all the time… We’re both women of sound mind that know that life doesn’t work out sometimes. She would know best… So yeah, no hard feelings there. Just feelings.”

Family Moments and Brandon’s Final Years

In March 2024, Brandon attended the Houston Rodeo with his and Clarkson’s children — River (11) and Remington (9) — along with his brother Shelby and McEntire.

On August 7, 2025, the Blackstock family announced Brandon’s death after a private three-year battle with cancer:

“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.”

Brandon Blackstock’s Career in Music

Brandon’s father, Narvel Blackstock, was Kelly Clarkson’s manager for many years. After Clarkson married Brandon in 2013, he took over as her manager while also managing Blake Shelton.

Clarkson revealed on August 6, 2025, that Brandon had been ill, postponing her Las Vegas residency to be with their children:

“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,” she wrote.

Clarkson and Brandon first met in May 2006 at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards, when Brandon was still married to his first wife, Melissa Ashworth.