Friends and family are mourning the loss of Brandon Blackstock.
The talent manager—who was married to Kelly Clarkson from 2013 to 2020—died after a yearslong battle with cancer, his rep confirmed in a statement to NBC News. He was 48.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," the August 7 statement read. "Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family."
Brandon's rep continued, "We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time."
The day before, Kelly—mom to kids River Rose, 11, and Remington "Remy" Alexander, 9, with Brandon—shared he'd been ill, and canceled her remaining Las Vegas shows.
“While I normally keep my personal life private,” the American Idol alum wrote on Instagram Aug. 6, “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," she added, "and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding."
In addition to his kids with Kelly, Brandon also had two children, Savannah Blackstock and Seth Blackstock, with his ex-wife Melissa Ashworth. In January 2022, Savannah made Brandon a grandfather with the birth of her first child.
Brandon and Kelly first met a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2006, though they didn't start dating until years later.
"This guy walks by, making everybody laugh," she told People in 2013 of the first impression he left on her. "I said, 'I'm gonna end up with him. I know it.'"
In fact, marriage didn't entirely fit into her ideas for the future before meeting Brandon. "I never thought honestly I would get married or fall in 'love', like they say in the movies," she told CBS Sunday Morning in 2015. "You know, I never thought that would happen. And, not so because I didn't think it was true."
Brandon's father Narvel Blackstock (who was married to Reba McEntire from 1989 to 2015) first served as Kelly's manager, though Brandon took on the role after their 2013 wedding. According to Kelly, seeing how well he worked with her friend Blake Shelton assured her their relationship could work professionally, too.
“I wouldn’t have hired Brandon to be my manager if I didn’t see first-hand how great he is at that and how much he cares about Blake,” the Kelly Clarkson Show host told Marie Claire in 2018. “And the way that [Blake’s] career has blown up, I would have hired Brandon regardless. He’s really talented at what he does and his mind really does work in a completely different way."
Before Kelly filed for divorce in 2020—which was finalized two years later—the "Stronger" singer had shared how much their relationship meant to her, even writing her 2015 song "Piece by Piece" in honor of how he helped bring stability to her life.
"But piece by piece, he collected me up," she sang. "Off the ground, where you abandoned things / Piece by piece, he filled the holes that you burned in me / Piece by piece, he restored my faith."
Following their split, Brandon's step-mom Reba—also Kelly's fellow judge on The Voice—shared her support for both of them.
"Brandon's my stepson, Kelly's my good friend, and I'm pulling for both of them," she told Extra in 2021. "I hope they're happy and healthy and pull though this. I pray that everybody gives them the encouragement that they can because they need it right now, both of them do. I love them both with all my heart."
For a look at Brandon's life in pictures, keep reading.
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