Brandon Blackstock, a veteran talent manager known for his work with artists including Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton, has died at age 48 following a more than three-year battle with cancer, his family announced Thursday.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," a family representative said in a statement. "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."
The announcement came one day after Clarkson disclosed she was postponing the remaining August dates of her Las Vegas residency to be with the couple's two children, River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 9. "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 said in a statement to fans.
Blackstock, the former stepson of country music star Reba McEntire, also had two children from a previous marriage, Savannah and Seth, and became a grandfather in 2022 when Savannah welcomed a son named Lake. In March, he was photographed at the Houston Rodeo with River and Remington alongside his brother Shelby and McEntire.
Clarkson and Blackstock first met in 2006 at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards, when he was still married to his first wife, Melissa Ashworth. They reconnected at the Super Bowl several years later and married in October 2013. Clarkson's 2015 ballad "Piece By Piece" was inspired in part by the relationship.
Following their wedding, Blackstock - who managed Shelton - became Clarkson's manager. In a 2018 interview with Marie Claire, Clarkson said, "I wouldn't have hired Brandon to be my manager if I didn't see first-hand how great he is at that and how much he cares about Blake."
Their marriage ended in 2020 when Clarkson filed for divorce, setting off a contentious legal battle that included disputes over their Montana ranch. Clarkson was ultimately awarded ownership of the property, and the divorce was finalized in 2022. Speaking in 2023, Clarkson said of the split, "I wanted to make it beautiful. I wanted to make it awesome. I wanted to make it everything it possibly could be, and sometimes that just doesn't happen."
Blackstock is survived by his four children, grandson, father Narvel Blackstock, and siblings Shelby, Shawna, and Chassidy.
