Brandon Blackstock was a U.S. music industry talent manager and TV producer best known as Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and as part of a prominent country music family, and he died in 2025 at the age of 48 after a private battle with cancer.

Who he was

Brandon Blackstock was born on December 16, 1976, in Fort Worth, Texas, into a family already deeply embedded in the country music business. He was the son of veteran manager Narvel Blackstock and the former stepson of country star Reba McEntire, which placed him close to Nashville’s country scene from an early age.

Career in music and TV

Blackstock built his career as a talent manager and later as a television producer. He worked at Starstruck Entertainment (his father’s company), helping manage major country artists, including Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts and others on the country circuit. He also served as a producer/executive on projects such as “Blake Shelton Live: It’s All About Tonight” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” where he was credited as an executive producer on numerous episodes.

Relationship with Kelly Clarkson

Brandon first met Kelly Clarkson years before they began dating and reconnected around 2012; they married in October 2013. The couple had two children together, adding to Brandon’s two older children from his first marriage to Melissa Ashworth. Their relationship later became widely covered due to a highly publicized divorce, involving disputes over spousal support, child custody, and business dealings tied to his management of Clarkson’s career.

Later years and death

In the years after his split from Clarkson, Blackstock increasingly stepped away from front-line entertainment work and focused on a quieter life, including time spent on a ranch in Montana. He died on August 7, 2025, at age 48, after more than three years battling melanoma or another form of cancer, as reported by his family and subsequent tributes and obituaries. Tributes described him as a devoted father and a figure who, despite legal controversies and tabloid scrutiny, was remembered by friends and family for his loyalty, humor, and work ethic.

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