Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock dead at 48 after cancer battle

In this Jan. 28, 2018 file photo shows Kelly Clarkson and her husband Brandon Blackstock at the 60th annual Grammy Awards in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Brandon Blackstock, a talent manager and former husband of singer Kelly Clarkson, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 48.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a representative for the Blackstock family told CNN in a statement on Thursday. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family.”

The statement added: “We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

The news came just a day after Clarkson had announced she would be pausing the rest of her Las Vegas residency, citing Blackstock’s health.

“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,” Clarkson wrote in a statement posted on her verified Instagram account on Wednesday night. “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”

The couple share a daughter, River, born in 2014, and a son, Remington, born in 2016.

Blackstock was the former stepson of Reba McEntire and the son of Narvel Blackstock, CEO of the Nashville-based talent management firm Starstruck, whose clients include country stars Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce. His parents divorced when he was 12.

Narvel Blackstock married country superstar McEntire in 1989 and she helped to raise Brandon. The elder Blackstock and McEntire split in 2015 after 26 years of marriage.

Like his parents, Brandon Blackstock had a love for the music industry and began his career in talent management.

Music is also what led Blackstock to Clarkson.

After initially meeting at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2006, Clarkson and Blackstock reconnected in 2012 at Super Bowl XLVI, where Clarkson performed the national anthem. Blackstock was Shelton’s manager at the time, who was also at the game singing “America the Beautiful.”

They eloped in 2013 and Blackstock also served as his wife’s manager and a producer on her award-winning daytime talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

After seven years of marriage Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

She and Blackstock settled their contentious divorce in 2022, with Clarkson having to make a one-time payment of $1.3 million as well as paying her ex $115,000 in monthly spousal support until January 31, 2024 as well as a monthly child support payment.

In 2021, McEntire commented on being supportive of both Blackstock and Clarkson amid their divorce during an appearance on Extra, saying she loved them both and that she was “pulling for both of them.”

“I pray everyone gives them the encouragement they can because they need it right now, both of them do. I love the both of them with all my heart,” she added at the time.

CNN has reached out to reps for both Clarkson and McEntire for comment.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Lisa Respers France, CNN