Reba McEntire didn’t use elaborate terms to express her relationship with Brandon Blackstock; they were simply family since she married his father Narvel Blackstock in 1989. This bond extended to Brandon’s siblings Chassidy and Shawna as well. In 2010, Reba stated that she didn’t view them as stepchildren but instead considered them all her own.
Sadly, the family, which also includes Shelby Blackstock (Reba and Narvel’s son) experienced a heartbreaking loss when Brandon passed away at the age of 48 after a three-year battle with cancer.
Throughout his life, Reba openly expressed her love for Brandon and his siblings, whose mother is Elisa Gayle Ritter. In 2012, she tweeted about her pride in all her kids, including Shawna, Brandon, Chassidy, and Shelby.
When Brandon married Kelly Clarkson in 2013, Reba was happy to welcome her into the family. She expressed excitement about having Kelly as a daughter-in-law and spoke of their long friendship, dating back to when they first met in 2002 during the finale of American Idol.
The actress from “Happy’s Place” was equally overjoyed when Kelly and Brandon announced they were expanding their family, which included the arrival of daughter River Rose in 2014. This added to the talent manager’s brood that already consisted of Savannah and Seth, his children from a previous marriage. In November 2013, Reba tweeted her excitement: “@kelly_clarkson We are so happy for you, Brandon, Savannah, and Seth!! Love, Grandma Reba and Granddad Narvel.” Interestingly, Kelly, who later had son Remington “Remy” Alexander in 2016, thanked Reba at the Kennedy Center Honors a few years later for being a fantastic grandmother to her children.
As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but express my feelings about the incredible bond that Reba McEntire shares with her family, especially her stepson Brandon and his sister Kelly. Even after their marriage ended in 2015 and more recently, when Kelly and Brandon parted ways in 2021, Reba’s connection with them remained unwavering.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight back in October 2021, she articulated this beautifully, stating, “I love them both, and I can’t play favorites because I’ve been friends with Kelly for a long time. Brandon has been like my son forever. Although he’s my stepson, I still cherish him as if he were my blood. So, I’m praying for them both since I love them both.”
This heartfelt sentiment was evident throughout their relationship, and it continued until the very end. Just five months before Brandon’s passing, Shelby shared a touching Instagram post featuring Reba, her boyfriend Rex Linn, Chassidy, Shawna, Savannah, and more relatives at the Houston Rodeo, expressing their joy at spending cherished time together as family.
Take a look at the gallery below to see more precious moments of Brandon throughout the years.
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2025-08-08 21:47