Brandon Blackstock: Kelly Clarkson’s Ex-Husband Dies After Private Cancer Battle Aged 48 as Singer Left Shattered

Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, has died at the age of 48 after battling cancer. Blackstock, a talent manager and one-time stepson of country music icon Reba McEntire, was married to Clarkson from 2013 until their divorce in 2022. They had two young children together.

A family spokesperson confirmed the heartbreaking news to People, saying: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. 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.”

Sad Demise of Former Love

The news was shared just hours after Clarkson announced she would be postponing the remaining August shows of her Las Vegas residency because of her ex-husband’s health condition.

Clarkson, 43, and Blackstock had two children together—River, 10, and Remington, 8—before separating in 2020. Blackstock was also a father to two older children, Savannah and Seth, from a prior marriage, and was a grandfather to a boy named Lake.

His last public appearance was in March of this year, where he appeared visibly weak while attending the Houston Rodeo with River, Remington, his brother Shelby, and Reba McEntire.

The unexpected change comes after the Grammy winner previously postponed two of her shows last month due to vocal issues. Earlier this year, the singer missed 10 episodes of her NBC talk show. During this time, Clarkson remained private about the reasons for her absence.

On Wednesday, the American Idol star opened up about her personal struggles with a statement on social media.

Half of Her Live Gone

Clarkson revealed that she needs to postpone her remaining concerts of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas because of a personal matter. The singer said that Blackstock, is unwell and she needs to be available for them.

She said, “Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas. 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.

“I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows, and I so appreciate your grace, kindness, and understanding.”

Clarkson did not provide any details regarding what would happen for fans who had already bought tickets to the postponed dates of her residency.

Clarkson and Blackstock began dating in 2012 and were married the following year. Their relationship was both personal and professional, as Blackstock also took on the role of Clarkson’s manager.

However, in June 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The split led to a lengthy legal battle over financial matters.

Although their contentious divorce was reportedly finalized in March 2022, it wasn’t until a year later that Clarkson was awarded a $2.6 million judgment against Blackstock.

She argued that he had unlawfully collected millions in commissions for deals that should have been handled by a licensed talent agent, not her manager. The California Labor Commissioner sided with Clarkson, ruling that Blackstock had overstepped by bypassing her representation at Creative Artists Agency.

In May 2024, the former couple finally reached a settlement in the lawsuit over the disputed commission payments.