Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, has passed away at the age of 48. Few people knew it, but Blackstock had been treated for cancer for the past three years. In case you’re wondering about the timeline, Kelly filed for divorce in June 2020, after she learned that Blackstock was stealing from her, misappropriating her money and misrepresenting her in business situations (he was her manager at the time). Their divorce took two long years to finalize, mostly because of a huge fight over money – Blackstock fought for every single nickel and dime he could get from her, and he even “squatted” in their Montana ranch and claimed joint ownership. She was paying him six figures a month in spousal support, and he walked away from the marriage (in 2022) with a reported $3.8 million. Soon after their divorce was finalized, he was diagnosed with cancer.
Brandon Blackstock, a talent manager known as both the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson and the former stepson of Reba McEntire, has died. He was 48.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep for the family tells PEOPLE in a statement. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Clarkson revealed Blackstock had been ill, and she postponed her Las Vegas residency to spend time with their children, River, 11, and Remington, 9.
“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 in a statement, apologizing to fans and expressing appreciation for their “grace, kindness and understanding.”
Blackstock also had two children from a previous marriage, Savannah and Seth, and became a grandfather in 2022 when his eldest child Savannah gave birth to a son, Lake.
Well… I feel sorry for his kids. I also feel incredibly sorry for Kelly. This explains so much in retrospect, including her unexplained absences from her talk show and her sudden postponements of her Vegas residency. Reportedly, she was caring for her ex-husband. Yeah, she’s a bigger person than me. I’m sure she was thinking of their children and all of that, but there was so much water under that bridge. I hope she’s okay and the kids are okay.
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- Kelly Clarkson, Brandon Blackstock attends the 25th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on January 12, 2020 in Santa Monica, California,Image: 562944148, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: jpistudios.com/JPI Studios/Avalon
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- Brandon Blackstock (L) and Kelly Clarkson attend the 25th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on January 12, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. © Joe Sutter, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Photoshot): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 562963472, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jeffery Mayer / Avalon
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- Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson at the 25th Annual Critics Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, USA on January 12, 2020. Copyright: xZoonar.com/Lumeimagesx 15725608,Image: 823844884, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Zoonar.com/Lumeimages / Avalon
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- New Jersey, NJ – Kelly Clarkson captivates the audience with a stunning performance at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. Pictured: Kelly Clarkson BACKGRID USA 11 MAY 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New Jersey, NJ – Kelly Clarkson captivates the audience with a stunning performance at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. Pictured: Kelly Clarkson BACKGRID USA 11 MAY 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
I wish her and all those kids all the healing and love in the world, because between a difficult marriage where once spouse is undermining and ripping off the other, divorce, pandemic and cancer, the 2020’s have been a horrible stretch for this family.
You never know what someone is dealing with.
I feel awful for those kids. They’re so young and have already been through a contentious divorce before having to say goodbye to their parent. He sounds awful but he’s the only daddy they knew. I’m glad Kelly is taking time to be with them.
I feel for their kids. And for Kelly too. However acrimonious the split, she’d loved him once and he was the father of her kids. She’s going to have her own grieving.
A lot of people on social media were pretty bitchy about her absences and cancellations. It’s a good reminder that we don’t know what other people are going through. Just because they’re public figures doesn’t mean we actually know them.
Her employees who talked to the press about her missing days on her talk show, fans bitching about her canceling dates to her residency should feel really ashamed right now. I knew that something was up cause shes a hard worker. Smdh
She’s being a good mother by putting her children first and ensuring they have spent time this last year with their dying father. Whatever she is feeling is for her to know.
THANK YOU for mentioning his past misdeed and crimes against Kelly! The NYT, Enews and others are completely not mentioning it and whitewashing. I don’t believe in speaking ill of the dead or gossip – but these were literal crimes.
Also, yes, Kelly is definitely a better person than I am. Props to her for being an amazing mom and person.
And at least she isn’t being bled for $100,000 a month alimony anymore. She is definitely a better person than I would be under those circumstances.
I think the alimony ended in January, 2024. But if the genders were reversed would you say the same thing? What confused me about the deals is, since they were married, weren’t his commissions also going into the family pot? Was it ours and his? Was he hiding assets? He also managed a couple other big names. I also think, like so many divorces when one person is famous and the other not as well known, is the more famous person generally gets the more favorable headlines and comments. None of us know all of it.
@Dave – there is plenty of evidence that he was financially abusing her, but let’s get into the gender thing. Whoever is the custodial parent is entitled to child support proportional to income. He was not the custodial parent. It’s a fact, not a gender bias.
Does anyone mention FU, the song she wrote about the divorce? Ha. I mean he didn’t really care about her in the end and squatted on the property she wanted
I really respect her for keeping it classy during everything. Yeah, she sang a couple of snarky songs pointed at him/the divorce, but she really kept her kids at the forefront of everything. Because for them, that’s just their dad. They won’t understand the messiness until they’re much older and reading about it online.
So sad for her kids. She’s truly an amazing person and she deserves all the success she’s gotten. When she postponed her residency and mentioned her ex being sick I knew it was serious, but for him to pass the next day 😬. I’m glad she was vindicated immediately.
I’ll be petty for her, I’m glad she won’t have to keep paying him alimony after he stole from her.
Thought same! Dude was such a money grubber!
She must be going through so many conflicting emotions right now. I really hope she has someone she can be open with and talk to, who won’t run to the press. It’s hard when someone you loved and hurt you so much dies.
While I feel for Kelly and her kids and wish them all comfort and healing, I must say it is amazing when one gets those opportunities to see karma work out in full view. All that money he stole and extorted got him nothing in the end
Didn’t even get to enjoy any of it. I’m trying not to say it serves him right because cancer is awful, but damn dude. He played himself karma wise.
I feel for his loved ones, especially his children. And for Kelly, because this must be a very difficult and complex situation.
I note that many publications are stressing that he was diagnosed with cancer AFTER she divorced him. The implication being that if the diagnosis had happened prior to or during the divorce that the expectation would be for her to stay with him or she would have been negatively portrayed for divorcing him when he was ill.
The details of their divorce and the circumstances that led to it are well documented. Nobody should be implying that she had a responsibility to look after him during his illness.
The fact that she apparently did help with his care speaks volumes about her and her ability to help in spite of their history. I wonder how many of us could do the same in her circumstances.
She’s a wildly talented, kind and generous person. I feel for her and her children. What a terrible thing for kids so young. She needs to take as much time as she and her children need.
This was a shock, because even though Kelly was taking hits for taking time off, she did not disclose details and kept things confidential. It was yet another opportunity for me to meditate on the realities of some people who forsake morals and dignity to scrabble for and steal other people’s money, and not realize how short life can be, and they may not have a chance to enjoy the fruits of their wrongdoing, much less make amends for it.