Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson. Credit to Christopher Polk/Getty Images.
Los Angeles, California (August 8, 2025)- Brandon Blackstock, the Nashville music manager and former husband of singer Kelly Clarkson, has died at the age of 48 after a battle with cancer. Starstruck Entertainment, the company where Blackstock worked for many years, announced the news via an Instagram statement on Thursday.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” the statement read. “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.”
The news of his death came just one day after Kelly Clarkson announced the postponement of her August residency shows in Las Vegas. In a statement on Instagram, she had said, “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.”
Blackstock was the son of Starstruck co-founder Narvel Blackstock and was formerly the stepson of country legend Reba McEntire. He was a prominent music manager who helped guide the careers of clients such as Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce. After marrying Clarkson in 2013, he also took on the role of managing her career.
The couple, who divorced in 2020, shared two children together: River, 11, and Remington, 9. Blackstock is also survived by his two children from a previous marriage, Savannah and Seth, and a young grandson, Lake. The divorce led to a lengthy legal battle between Clarkson and Starstruck Entertainment over alleged unpaid management fees. A ruling that ordered Blackstock to repay Clarkson more than $2.6 million in commissions was ultimately upheld, and the case was dismissed in May 2024.
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