Reba McEntire paid tribute to her late stepson, Brandon Blackstock, on what would have been his 49th birthday.
McEntire, 70, took to Instagram on Tuesday, December 16, to publicly celebrate Brandon, who died in August after a long battle with cancer.
“Happy birthday Brandon! We love and miss you a bunch. ❤️❤️❤️,” the country singer wrote alongside a photo of herself and Brandon standing with McEntire’s stepdaughters, Shawna and Chassidy, and biological son Shelby, each shared with McEntire’s ex-husband Narval Blackstock.
A rep for the Blackstock family confirmed via a statement to Us Weekly on August 7 that Brandon, the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, had died. He was 48.
“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,” a statement read at the time. “We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
Details into his death were provided four days later, with Silver Bow County Coroner Dan Hollis telling Us that melanoma, a form of skin cancer, was the cause of Brandon’s death while the manner was labelled as “natural causes.”
Hollis said in an August 11 statement to Us, “Brandon Blackstock passed away peacefully at his home in Butte, Montana on August 7th under hospice care surrounded by his family.”
An insider told Us in the wake of Brandon’s death that despite McEntire and Narvel, 69, divorcing in 2015 after 26 years of marriage, McEntire was bonded to Brandon and supported him during his final days.
“Reba has spent more time with the Blackstock crew in the past year than in years prior,” the source told Us exclusively on August 8. “They really came together.”
The insider added that McEntire spent significant time with the Blackstock clan at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, in particular, where she served as one of three headliners. “When she did her rodeo concert, which was a big deal for her, she flew out the entire family and they made a family vacation out of it,” the source said. “They all spent a lot of time together.”
One day prior to Brandon’s death, Clarkson, 43, put her Las Vegas residency on pause, alerting fans to Brandon’s illness without offering insight into the severity of his health decline.
“Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” the “Since U Been Gone” hitmaker announced via Instagram on August 6. “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.”
Branson and Clarkson married in 2013 and welcomed two children during their relationship: daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remington, 9. The former couple called it quits in 2020 and finalized their divorce in 2022.
