Reba Breaks Silence After Ex-Stepson Brandon Blackstock Dies of Melanoma
Hi, I’m Avery Sinclair. Canât wait to pretend this wonât get messy.
Reba McEntire has finally addressed the death of her former stepson Brandon Blackstock, offering a short but sincere public nod just days before his funeral. The country music legend left a simple comment on an Instagram tribute posted by her son Shelby Blackstock, writing, “Very well said Shelby,” and adding, “Yes we will miss him so much.” That terse message, posted on August 11, is the first time McEntire has publicly reacted following Brandonâs passing on August 7 at age 48 from melanoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer.
If you are keeping score of family ties, here is the factual map. Reba married manager Narvel Blackstock in 1989, becoming Brandonâs stepmother. Reba and Narvel divorced in 2015, but the relationship with the extended family remained close enough that Brandon was still listed as having a stepparent in his obituary. Brandon spent years in the public eye, not only as a talent manager but also as the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson; the two were married in 2013 and shared two children, River, now 11, and Remington, now 9. Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020 and their settlement was finalized in 2022.
The family statement announcing Brandonâs death said he “bravely battled cancer for more than three years” and that he passed peacefully surrounded by family. That statement was shared with media outlets, and later Instagram tributes from family members added personal color and grief to the public announcement. Shelby Blackstock, Rebaâs son with Narvel, wrote an emotional post describing the familyâs immense loss and calling Brandon “irreplaceable,” naming him a brother, father, grandfather, and son.
Insiders told Us Weekly that McEntire had been more present with the Blackstock family in the year prior to Brandonâs death than she had been in recent years, suggesting proximity during his final days. Back in 2021, when Brandon and Clarkson were embroiled in a public divorce fight, McEntire had already gone on record expressing her personal affection for Brandon, telling Entertainment Tonight that he had “been my son forever” and that she loved both him and Clarkson.
Brandon leaves behind four children across two marriages: with Clarkson, daughter River and son Remington, and with his first wife Melissa Ashworth, daughter Savannah, 23, and son Seth, 18. Seth posted a heartfelt Instagram eulogy calling his father his hero and promising that his dad will “watch me grow up from a Birds Eye view now.” The social media outpouring has been steady, private moments shared through public posts, with the family asking for privacy during this difficult time.
This is not the kind of celebrity drama that involves feuds or shady restaurant blowups; it is a family grieving a protracted illness. Yet because names involved are famous and past relationships were tabloid fodder, public interest is unavoidable. Rebaâs brief public message is subdued, maybe appropriate, and not the blaring performance some outlets might prefer. It acknowledges the loss while keeping the focus where it should be: on the family and the children left behind.
Expect more tributes and likely a modest, private funeral attended by family and close friends. Given Rebaâs history with the Blackstocks and her recent proximity to them, her presence will be noted, though she has chosen restraint over spectacle. Families in grief do what they must; celebrities just get watched while doing it.
And yes, grief is messy and public when famous people are involved. Stay tuned for details about services and any further family statements. Thatâs the situation as it stands.
Final note: No hot takes here, just confirmed facts, family statements, and the minimal public condolences from a woman who once said Brandon felt like her own. That will have to do for now.
And thatâs todayâs dose of reality. Youâre welcome.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Us Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, Instagram posts by Shelby Blackstock and Seth Blackstock
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
