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USA Today
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Brandon Blackstock's obituary gives shoutout to his 'loving partner' Brittney Marie Jones
Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband and former manager, Brandon Blackstock, seemingly moved on to another romance after his high-profile split from the pop singer, the late talent manager's obituary reveals. Montana funeral provider Axelson Funeral & Cremation Services paid tribute to Blackstock, who died on Aug. 7 at age 48 following a battle with skin cancer, in an obituary shared ahead of Blackstock's Aug. 17 memorial service. "To know Brandon was to love Brandon," the obituary states. "He played important roles in shaping the careers of many larger-than-life celebrities and left a lasting impact on everyone who met him. He always had his hand out to pull others up the ladder, to open a door, to make a connection." The death announcement also touchingly highlighted Blackstock's many loved ones, such as father Narvel Blackstock, stepmother and country singer Reba McEntire, and Blackstock's children with Clarkson, daughter River and son Remington. Another name that made the list was the talent manager's business associate and apparent significant other, Brittney. "Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones, started building a life," the tribute reads, which included "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." Blackstock, who met Clarkson at a rehearsal for the American Country Music Awards in 2006, was married to the Grammy-winning singer and talk-show host from October 2013 until June 2020. After nearly seven years of marriage, Clarkson filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The former couple made headlines with their contentious divorce battle, which included legal disputes over parental custody, real estate property and business payments. Brandon Blackstock death: Cause of death for Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband revealed Who is Brittney Marie Jones? Brandon Blackstock's partner reportedly worked for Kelly Clarkson Blackstock's partner, Jones, reportedly had professional ties to the talent manager and his ex-wife, Clarkson. According to a LinkedIn profile under Jones' name, the woman worked as a full-time production assistant for Clarkson from December 2016 to December 2018. Jones reportedly oversaw Clarkson's touring activities, which included managing travel details for TV and radio appearances, as well as overseeing dressing room setup and organizing meet-and-greets. USA TODAY has reached out to LinkedIn to verify the authenticity of Jones' profile. Who was Brandon Blackstock? What to know about late talent manager, Kelly Clarkson's ex Jones purportedly continued her work with Clarkson when she became an executive management assistant for Starstruck Entertainment, a management firm headed by Blackstock's father Narvel, in December 2018, per LinkedIn. During this time, Jones was reportedly based in Los Angeles, where Clarkson's eponymous talk show, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," was filming. In addition to helping manage Clarkson's daily schedule, the executive assistant also worked as an assistant for Blackstock (who previously served as Clarkson's manager), according to the LinkedIn profile. Jones held the position until June 2020. Per Blackstock's obituary, Jones and Blackstock also collaborated on the rodeo organization, the Valley View Rodeo, which Jones promoted in a May 2023 Facebook video. Contributing: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY
USA Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Who was Brandon Blackstock? What to know about late talent manager, Kelly Clarkson's ex
Brandon Blackstock may have had a behind-the-scenes role in entertainment, but his high-profile marriage to Kelly Clarkson put him in the spotlight on occasion. 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
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Reba McEntire Reaches A New Career Peak With Her Superstar Collaboration
'Trailblazer' by Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, and Lainey Wilson debuts at No. 4 on the Digital ... More Song Sales chart and nearly tops the country-specific tally. Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images) In addition to hosting the 2025 American Country Music Awards, Reba McEntire also took to the main stage to perform. She joined fellow genre favorites Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson for a brand new collaboration, "Trailblazer." Released just hours before their joint performance on the program, "Trailblazer" debuts as a bestselling title and hits the Billboard charts this week. The success brings all three women back ot several tallies, and it pushes the most iconic member of the trio to a never-before-seen high point. "Trailblazer" reaches a trio of Billboard rankings this frame thanks largely to an impressive opening sales count. Luminate reports the collaboration sold just under 3,200 copies in its first, shortened tracking period. That frame didn't quite run a full seven days, as the track dropped on Sunday just before the awards — rather than on Friday, as is usually the case. Despite that disadvantage, the tune still manages to enter the top 10 on a pair of purchase-only rankings. "Trailblazer" kicks off its time at No. 4 on the Digital Song Sales chart. It now stands as the highest-rising hit for both McEntire and Wilson on Billboard's ranking of the bestselling tracks on platforms like iTunes and Amazon throughout the U.S. Before this week, McEntire had previously climbed as high as No. 5 when she joined Thomas Rhett, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, and Keith Urban on the inspirational "Be a Light," which reached that position in April 2020. Wilson, meanwhile, has reached No. 4 in the past — multiple times, in fact — but never climbed higher, as "Trailblazer" matches her all-time best showing. She sent both "Wait in the Truck" with Hardy and "Heart Like a Truck" to fourth place on the Digital Song Sales chart, with the tracks debuting just weeks apart in 2022. Lambert, however, has soared higher with only one track. "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)" with Elle King missed out on becoming a No. 1 by just one space in 2021. Both Lambert and Wilson collect their fifth top 10s on the Digital Song Sales chart this week. McEntire, despite her lengthy and storied career, has now sent only a trio of tunes into the loftiest space on this list. "Trailblazer" almost becomes a No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart, but misses the summit by just a single space. Instead, it launches at No. 2 behind "Superman" by Morgan Wallen, which starts in first place. The same cut also reaches No. 44 on the Hot Country Songs tally, and could rise in the coming weeks.
