Brandon Blackstock, who is Kelly Clarkson ex-husband, died at 48 after cancer battle.
Brandon Blackstock, the music manager whose life and career were deeply intertwined with some of country and pop’s biggest stars, has died at 48 after a more than three-year battle with cancer. His family confirmed the news on August 7, 2025, saying he “passed away peacefully… surrounded by family” and asking for privacy during “this very difficult time.”
The announcement came just one day after Kelly Clarkson—his ex-wife, former client, and the first-ever American Idol winner—abruptly canceled the remaining August shows of her Las Vegas residency to focus on their children. “This past year, my children’s father has been ill, and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,” she told fans. Clarkson, 43, and Blackstock shared two children, River Rose, 11, and Remington “Remy” Alexander, 9.
Blackstock’s connection to Clarkson began years before their romance. They first met at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2006, when he was still married to Melissa Ashworth, with whom he had two children, Savannah and Seth. His father, veteran talent manager Narvel Blackstock—then married to country icon Reba McEntire—became Clarkson’s manager in 2007. It wasn’t until the 2012 Super Bowl, where Clarkson performed the national anthem, that the pair reconnected. Engagement followed by December, and they wed in October 2013 at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.
After their wedding, Blackstock, who also managed Blake Shelton, took on management duties for Clarkson as well. She later emphasized in a 2018 Marie Claire interview that she would have hired him regardless of their relationship: “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.” Their marriage inspired deeply personal work from Clarkson, including her 2015 ballad “Piece By Piece,” which contrasted the security she found in Blackstock with the abandonment she felt from her father.
The couple shared homes in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Montana, quarantining at their $17 million Montana ranch during the COVID-19 pandemic. But in June 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable differences.” Reports at the time suggested that working together “non-stop” had fueled tension. Their divorce, finalized in March 2022, was marked by a high-profile legal battle. Clarkson was awarded primary custody of their children, while Blackstock received a 5 percent share of the Montana ranch, a $1.3 million one-time payment, $45,000 a month in child support, and $115,000 a month in spousal support until 2024.
Their post-divorce relationship made further headlines in November 2023 when a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock had overstepped his role as manager in booking high-profile gigs for Clarkson, ordering him to repay $2.6 million in commissions.
Despite the public and often contentious split, Clarkson reportedly took a leave from The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier in 2025 to help care for Blackstock during his illness. Multiple sources said she remained present for their children and extended family as his health declined.
Blackstock is survived by his four children—Savannah, Seth, River, and Remington—grandson Lake, father Narvel, and siblings Shelby, Shawna, and Chassidy. His passing closes a chapter on a life lived at the intersection of family, fame, and the music industry, remembered for both his professional acumen and his enduring role in the lives of those closest to him.