Who was Brandon Blackstock? What to know about late talent manager, Kelly Clarkson's ex
Blackstock, who was married to the Grammy-winning pop singer and talk-show host, died at age 48 following a battle with cancer, Blackstock's family confirmed to USA TODAY in a statement on Thursday, Aug. 7.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," the statement read. "Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family."
The day before, Clarkson announced she would be pausing her Las Vegas residency to support the couple's children amid Blackstock's illness.
Aside from his work managing some of the top acts in music, Blackstock made headlines in recent years for his contentious divorce with Clarkson, which included legal battles over parental custody, real estate property and business payments.
Here's everything to know about Blackstock's life and career.
What type of cancer did Brandon Blackstock have?
In their statement to USA TODAY, Blackstock's family did not disclose the type of cancer that Blackstock had been battling.
But the talent manager's family shared that he had been struggling with the disease for "more than three years."
Brandon Blackstock dies: Ex-husband of singer Kelly Clarkson was 48
What did Brandon Blackstock do?
Blackstock worked as a television producer and talent manager.
He started his career in the entertainment industry under the eye of his father, Narvel Blackstock, at Starstruck Entertainment. During his time there, he helped to shape the careers of musicians like Blake Shelton and his then-wife, Clarkson. He was also the road manager for Rascal Flatts.
Blackstock also served as an executive producer on Clarkson's eponymous talk show, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," for nearly 70 episodes, according to Blackstock's IMDb page.
How did Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson meet?
Blackstock and Clarkson met at a rehearsal for the 2006 American Country Music Awards, according to a 2013 interview with People magazine.
"I've only had three other boyfriends that I dated, and not really seriously," Clarkson told the outlet at the time. "This guy walks by, making everybody laugh. I said, 'I'm gonna end up with him. I know it.' "
Blackstock, who was married at the time to first wife Melissa Ashworth, later reconnected with Clarkson at the 2012 Super Bowl, where the pop star performed the national anthem. The two went out for the first time a week later.
When did Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson get married?
Blackstock and Clarkson married in October 2013, opting for a low-key ceremony at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, due to their busy schedules.
"I'm officially Mrs. Blackstock :)" Clarkson wrote in a Twitter post at the time, which included a photo of herself and Blackstock in their newlywed attire.
Did Brandon Blackstock manage Kelly Clarkson?
Yes, Blackstock worked as Clarkson's manager during their marriage. Blackstock's father, Narvel Blackstock, previously managed the singer.
In a September 2018 interview with Marie Claire, Clarkson reflected on how she and Blackstock navigated their professional relationship as a married couple.
"Well, I think it comes down to respect," Clarkson told the outlet. "I wouldn't have hired Brandon to be my manager if I didn't see firsthand how great he is at that and how much he cares about Blake (Shelton)."
She added, "He's really talented at what he does, and his mind really does work in a completely different way. I'm always like, 'Is this your manager hat?' And he'll go, 'Oh, is this your artist hat? Are we going there?' So, we're pretty good about that."
Brandon Blackstock health: Kelly Clarkson postpones Vegas residency amid ex-husband's illness
How old are Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson's children?
Blackstock and Clarkson shared two children, daughter River and son Remington.
The couple welcomed River, 11, in June 2014. Remington, 9, was born in April 2016.
Blackstock also had two other children, Seth and Savannah Blackstock, from his former marriage to Ashworth, according to Blackstock's IMDb page.
When did Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson divorce?
After nearly seven years of marriage, Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock in Los Angeles court in June 2020, The Associated Press reported at the time.
Clarkson cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split and requested that she not be required to pay Blackstock spousal support.
Clarkson was awarded primary physical custody of the couple's children, daughter River and son Remington, in November 2020, although the former spouses shared joint physical and legal custody. Court documents also noted that "the level of conflict between the parents has increased," and "the parties have a difficult time coparenting due to issues of trust between them."
Parental custody wasn't the only legal battle between Blackstock and Clarkson.
In January 2022, the former couple settled on their Montana ranch after Blackstock contested that the residence was marital property, with Blackstock retaining a 5% share.
In November 2023, Blackstock was reportedly ordered by a California labor commissioner to repay Clarkson over $2.6 million in commissions for past business deals he procured for Clarkson as her manager, according to People magazine and Billboard.
What has Kelly Clarkson said about Brandon Blackstock divorce?
Clarkson opened up to USA TODAY in a June 2023 interview about how the emotional turbulence of her divorce from Blackstock inspired her most recent album, "Chemistry."
"I know a lot of people have gone through grief or a big tragedy like a divorce, and I know it's a common thing, unfortunately," Clarkson said. "But there's nothing common when you're going through it. It's very foreign, it's horrible. A lot of time stupid, stupid (stuff) gets said and you just can't believe it. I was angry and really hurt."
Was Brandon Blackstock related to Reba McEntire?
Blackstock's father, Narvel Blackstock, was married to country music icon Reba McEntire from 1989 to 2015, making McEntire Blackstock's former stepmother.
The talent manager's younger half-brother, race car driver Shelby Blackstock, was born in 1990 and is the son of Narvel and Reba's marriage.
Contributing: Jay Stahl, Gary Dinges, Melissa Ruggieri, Charles Trepany and Jayme Deerwester, USA TODAY; Joyce Orlando, USA TODAY Network
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