Brandon Blackstock, the Nashville music manager who was married to Kelly Clarkson for seven years, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 48 years old.
A rep for the former couple’s family confirmed the news in a statement shared with People on Thursday (Aug. 7). “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” it read. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years.”
“He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family,” the statement continued. “We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
The sudden news comes just one day after the The Voice coach announced just the day before that she would be postponing her August residency shows in Las Vegas so that she could be with her kids during a tough period for the family. “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,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
She’d added, “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
The son of Starstruck Entertainment co-founder Narvel Blackstock, Brandon was also formerly the stepson of Reba McEntire, who was married to his father for 26 years. Brandon and Clarkson tied the knot in 2013 and share two children together, 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington. The vocalist filed for divorce in 2020, setting off a lengthy legal battle between herself and her ex-husband.
Brandon is also survived by the children he shared with ex-wife Melissa Ashworth — Savannah and Seth — as well as a young grandson, Lake.