Who Was Kelly Clarkson's Late Ex-Husband Brandon Blackstock?
What To Know About Late Talent Manager Brandon Blackstock
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Kelly Clarkson's been through plenty of changes in her life, and a major one came in early August 2025, when it was revealed her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, died.
The talent manager privately fought a battle with cancer for three years, and he ultimately died at the age of 48.
We're going to take a look at the background of the singer's late partner and see how she cared for him in his final years.
Brandon Was a Talent Manager and Producer
Blackstock worked as a talent manager, and he was associated with Starstruck Entertainment, a company founded by his father Narvel.
Narvel was married to Reba McEntire from 1989 until 2015, and the country singer described her ex-stepson as her "blood" in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Starstruck primarily operates in the country music space, and Blackstock oversaw the careers of several high-profile artists, including Blake Shelton.
Blackstock eventually departed the music industry, and he began focusing on developing and running a cattle ranch in Montana.
Brandon and Kelly Met While He Was Married to His First Wife
The talent manager and the singer met in 2006, while he was still married to his first wife, Melissa Ashworth.
Blackstock and his Ashworth tied the knot in 2001 and welcomed a daughter and a son -- Savannah and Seth -- over the course of their marriage. They divorced in 2012.
The talent manager eventually reconnected with Clarkson -- whom he managed from 2017 to 2020 -- and they married in 2013.
The couple started a family with the birth of their daughter River in 2014, and their son Remington was born two years later.
The End of Blackstock's Marriage to Clarkson Was Complicated
Blackstock and Clarkson remained together until 2020, when the singer filed for divorce, and she was awarded primary custody of their children that November.
The pair's divorce proceedings stretched out for two years before their marriage was officially dissolved in March 2022. The singer had to provide her ex-husband with just over $1.3 million, according to court documents obtained by The Blast.
However, Blackstock was subsequently ordered to pay Clarkson more than $2.6 million for putting together business deals that should've been handled by a talent agent for her during his time as her manager, according to People.
The two later filed lawsuits against each other regarding commissions Blackstock paid himself while he was Clarkson's manager ... although they ended up dismissing their respective suits, according to Rolling Stone.
Clarkson Cared for Blackstock as He Battled Cancer
Clarkson began missing tapings for her talk show in March 2025, and various guest hosts filled her spot over the course of several episodes.
Although the singer didn't specify why she'd stepped away from the cameras, sources have since told People Clarkson skipped out on the tapings as a result of Blackstock's cancer battle.
The singer's commitment to Blackstock's well-being was later revealed to be the reason why she postponed several dates of her Las Vegas residency.
She made the announcement in an Instagram post -- just one day before the manager's death -- to let her fans know she wanted to be "fully present" for her children while their father was ill.
