Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson's Former Manager And Ex-Husband, Passes Away At 48

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Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband, died at 48 after battling cancer. He managed artists like Rascal Flatts and Blake Shelton.
Brandon Blackstock, who managed artists and was once married to singer Kelly Clarkson, has died at the age of 48 after a lengthy fight with cancer. The family confirmed the news to People, asking for privacy at this difficult time.
Brandon Blackstock dies of cancer
'It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," a representative for the family told People. '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."
When Clarkson postponed her Las Vagas residency
Clarkson postponed the remaining dates of her Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace as Blackstock's health declined. '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 in a statement issued less than 24 hours before Blackstock's death was revealed. 'I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows, and I so appreciate your grace, kindness, and understanding."
Blackstock and Clarkson first crossed paths in 2006 at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards, but their romantic relationship began in February 2012. They became engaged in December 2012 and married on Oct. 20, 2013. The couple had two children together: daughter River Rose, born in June 2014, and son Remington Alexander, born in April 2016. Blackstock also had two older children, son Seth and daughter Savannah, from his marriage to Melissa Ashworth; that marriage ended in 2012.
Professionally, Brandon Blackstock came from a music-business family. He was the son of Narvel Blackstock, who founded Starstruck Entertainment in 1988, and the stepson of country star Reba McEntire. McEntire announced a marital and professional split from Narvel in 2015 after 35 years of working together.
Their marriage ended when Clarkson filed for divorce on June 4, 2020. In November 2020, a judge granted Clarkson primary custody of their two children, citing an 'increased" 'level of conflict between the parents." Subsequent court rulings addressed financial claims between the former spouses. A judge later ordered that Blackstock receive nearly $200,000 a month in spousal and child support after he had asked for $436,000.
Separate legal disputes over commissions from his work at Starstruck Management persisted for years. In November 2023, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock must repay Clarkson $2.6 million in commissions he had earned while representing her. The ruling said those deals should have been handled by her Creative Artists Agency team and noted: 'Under the Talent Agencies Act (TAA), a manager, like any person without a talent agency license, cannot procure or attempt to procure employment for artists." The ruling cited deals he negotiated for Clarkson with The Voice, Norwegian Cruise Line, Wayfair and the Billboard Music Awards; her contract with 'The Kelly Clarkson Show" was not included in the decision.
Remaining lawsuits between the former spouses were resolved in the spring of 2024, leading to the cancellation of a planned fall trial. The terms of that settlement were not made public.
On the creative front, Clarkson channeled much of the relationship's arc into her 2023 concept album Chemistry. 'All of it was written two, three years ago," she told Variety in 2023. 'It was very important for me to not just have a divorce album. I wanted an entire relationship to be covered. You listen to 'Magic' and it's like, 'Man, I'm willing to do this for you. Like, we all have our own damage. I have mine too; I'll share mine, you share yours; we can do this.' It's every stage of a relationship, and that was very important to me, rather than just having a breakup album."
Who was Brandon Blackstock?
Brandon Blackstock was also a TV producer. He was born on December 16, 1976, in Fort Worth, Texas, to music manager Narvel Blackstock and producer Elisa Gayle Ritter. After his parents divorced in 1988, his father married country star Reba McEntire in 1989, making her Brandon's stepmother.
Growing up in a family deeply involved in entertainment, Brandon later followed the same path. He managed artists like Rascal Flatts and Blake Shelton and worked at his father's company, Starstruck Entertainment.
He is survived by his four children. The family has requested privacy as they mourn.
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