Kelly Clarkson was NOT mentioned in Brandon Blackstock's obituary which revealed his 'loving partner' was her assistant
The 43-year-old singer was previously married to the former talent manager from 2013 until their divorce was finalized in 2022. The pair also welcomed two children: Remington, 11, and River, nine.
He was also father to Savannah, 23, and Seth, 18, whom he welcomed with first wife Melissa Ashworth — who recently broke her silence on his shock death.
Brandon passed away at the age of 48 following a 'brave and courageous' three-year battle of melanoma cancer, per the obit shared by Butte Funeral Home.
Other relatives were listed in the obit such as his four children, grandchildren, grandparents and stepparents — which includes former stepmom Reba McEntire.
The obit notably included the bombshell revelation that he had been in a relationship with Kelly's past assistant leading up to his death.
Kelly and Brandon had first met in 2006 but didn't begin dating until six years later in 2012.
The following year, the pair tied the knot during a ceremony that was held at Blackberry Farms in Tennessee.
But in June 2020, the talk show host filed for divorce and cited the reason for the split as 'irreconcilable differences.' The divorce was finalized two years later.
'I think the thing about divorce — especially having it publicized, and people thinking they know the whole thing — the hardest part of that is, like, it wasn't an overnight decision,' Kelly said on Angie Martinez's IRL podcast in 2023.
'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.'
She also sued her ex-husband last year after accusing him of making unauthorized business deals on her behalf.
They settled their lawsuits over commissions in May 2024, ending a contentious legal battle that began after their divorce was finalized two years earlier.
Last week, one day before Brandon's passing was announced, Kelly took to Instagram to announce the postponement of the remainder of her Las Vegas residency concerts for August.
She wrote to her fans: '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.
'I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.'
The following day, a rep for the family said in a statement: '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.'
The statement concluded with, 'We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time.'
Before his marriage to Kelly, Brandon had tied the knot with his first wife Melissa Ashworth in 1999 until their divorce in 2012.
The obit released on Tuesday also revealed that the former talent manager had a 'loving partner' before his death.
He had been in a relationship with Brittney Marie Jones and was quietly building a new life with her in Montana, a fact unknown to many fans.
'After more than 20 years in the music business, Brandon found his way back to the mountains and the cowboy way of life he always wanted to live,' the obituary read. 'He found a homestead and a love in Butte, Montana.'
It went on: 'Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones, started building a life, building companies, and working tirelessly to create Headwaters Livestock Auction and what will live on as his legacy, The Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana.'
In a bombshell revelation, a December 2024 report on Brandon and Brittney's rodeo business listed Brittney as Kelly's 'former assistant.'
DailyMail.com has not received a response to its request for comment from reps for Kelly.
A prior LinkedIn profile for Brittney highlighted in the report reveals she served as an executive assistant to Brandon as well as an assistant to Kelly while he managed the singer.
Brittney's LinkedIn also identifies her as the Executive Assistant of V Bar V Cattle Co. LLC — formerly Vintage Valley Ranch — one of Brandon's companies, further tying her to his post-divorce life in Montana.
She was previously married to Greg Goose LaPoint, according to details found on her Facebook page.
The pair shared wedding photos from their September 2021 ceremony, offering a glimpse into their life together. However, the exact timeline and circumstances of their separation remain unclear.
The bombshell dropped just hours after Melissa, Brandon's first wife, spoke out publicly about his passing.
'On May 29, 1999 I married the man who would become the father of my children,' Ashworth wrote on Instagram over the weekend.
'After more than 20 years in the music business, Brandon found his way back to the mountains and the cowboy way of life he always wanted to live,' the obituary read
Her post included a collection of photos featuring Brandon, their children — son Seth and Savannah — as well as Savannah's husband, Quentin Lee.
'Brandon was full of charm, wit, and just an absolute gentleman who happened to wear cowboy boots, wrangler jeans, and a cowboy hat. He was by far, hands down, the best Daddy and Pa. He loved hard and he fought hard,' she wrote.
'The best thing Brandon has left for his children is they know where he is. I've heard it said, 'Nothing is lost when you know where it is' and Brandon is with Jesus his Savior,' she continued.
'Savannah, Seth, and our grandchildren are the best parts of who Brandon and I are. Thank you all for your prayers and condolences.'
Melissa's message came just hours after her son Seth also posted his own heartfelt tribute to his father. He shared a series of photos with Brandon, ranging from his early childhood to more recent years.
Other tributes have since flooded in to remember Brandon as they mourn his loss.
Reba McEntire's son Shelby Blackstock shared a heartbreaking post in honor of his half-brother Brandon.
Brandon was the son of Narvel Blackstock and Elisa Gayle Ritter. Narvel was later married to Reba from 1989 through 2015 — and they welcomed son Shelby together.
He also opened up about the 'tremendous loss our family has endured' and called Brandon an 'irreplaceable part of our family'
The race car driver penned an emotional tribute to Brandon late last week alongside an assortment of throwback photos.
He also opened up about the 'tremendous loss our family has endured' and called Brandon an 'irreplaceable part of our family.'
Reba broke her silence on his passing by penning a message in the comment section of Shelby's post.
'Very well said Shelby. Yes we will miss him so much,' she wrote along with red and broken heart emojis.
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