Despite Divorce, Reba McEntire Was Close With Stepson Brandon Blackstock
“Kelly and I do talk, we text, and I love them both," Reba said.
Published Aug. 7 2025, 3:56 p.m. ET
After Kelly Clarkson revealed on Aug. 6, 2025, that her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock was ill and she’d be stepping back from her August shows to support their kids, fans grew concerned.
But just a day later, his family confirmed in a statement, per Hello!, that Brandon had died following a private, more than three-year cancer battle.
As condolences poured in, many were reminded of Brandon’s interesting family connections. For starters, his dad, Narvel Blackstock, used to manage Kelly back in 2012 when she and Brandon started dating.
And his former stepmom is country music icon Reba McEntire. But that relationship goes back a bit, and here’s when it all happened.
Reba McEntire was once Brandon Blackstock's stepmother.
Reba McEntire was Brandon Blackstock’s stepmother from 1989 to 2015, during her marriage to his father, Narvel Blackstock, her last marriage on record.
During that time, she was also a stepmom to Brandon’s siblings, Shawna Rene and Chassidy Celeste, whom Narvel shared with his first wife, Elisa Gayle Ritter.
While married, Reba and Narvel welcomed one child together, a son named Shelby Blackstock.
But Narvel wasn’t the only one with a relationship history. Reba had also been married before. Prior to tying the knot with Narvel, she was married to Charlie Battles from 1976 to 1987. Then, two years later, she and Narvel eloped.
Reba McEntire with her second husband, Narvel Blackstock.
She’s since moved on from both marriages and found love again with actor Rex Linn. They officially started dating in 2020, though Reba’s known him for decades. According to Parade, they first met in 1991 while filming a Kenny Rogers Gambler movie, but stayed friends over the years.
Like Kelly’s split from Brandon, Reba’s divorce from Narvel was a tough one. And it makes sense since they’d been together for 26 years and shared a child.
She opened up about the experience during an interview with CMT’s Cody Alan, per People, saying, “The divorce was not my idea.”
She added, “I didn’t want it in any shape, form, or fashion. So, it was really hard to make the adjustment when someone’s not happy. I just want everybody to be happy in their lives, because our lives are too short to be miserable.”
Since the divorce came as a surprise and wasn’t something she wanted, Reba admitted it took a lot to get through it. But she credits God and her strong support system for helping her move forward.
“The thing that got me through this change in life is, number one, God," she added. "I prayed every day to help me have the strength to move one foot in front of the other and continue on with what I’m supposed to be doing … and then with my team … and my friends, my family, my girlfriends.”
Reba McEntire still had love for Brandon Blackstock even after splitting from his father.
Although Reba was (on paper) no longer tied to Brandon after her divorce from Narvel, she continued to express how much she cared for him, especially during his messy split from Kelly. “Brandon’s been my son forever, it seems. Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total — my blood, so I’m praying for ‘em both 'cause I love ‘em both,” she told Entertainment Tonight in 2021.
She also couldn’t take sides because she was close with Kelly too, adding, “Kelly and I do talk, we text, and I love them both, and so I can't play favorites because I've been a friend of Kelly for a long time.”