Luke Bryan Honors Brandon Blackstock With “Drink a Beer” Tribute
On Thursday, August 7, country star Luke Bryan dedicated his performance of “Drink a Beer” to music producer Brandon Blackstock, who passed away after a three-year battle with cancer.
“Have a sip of your beer for Brandon Blackstock today,” Bryan told the audience before leading them in the emotional song. “We love you, man,” he added.
Luke Bryan just dedicated tonight’s Drink a Beer performance to Brandon Blackstock https://t.co/pmKZLbx69G pic.twitter.com/s8xgkXrYqm
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) August 8, 2025
Who Was Brandon Blackstock?
Brandon Blackstock was widely known for his marriage to music superstar Kelly Clarkson. The couple wed in October 2013 and went on to welcome two children together — daughter River Rose in June 2014 and son Remington Alexander in April 2016.
Blackstock was also the former stepson of country legend Reba McEntire, who was married to his father, Narvel Blackstock. Though not his biological mother, Reba spoke fondly of Brandon and his siblings over the years, treating them as her own and maintaining a bond even after her 2015 divorce from Narvel.
A Career Deeply Connected to Country Music
As a music manager at Starstruck Entertainment, the company founded by his father, Blackstock worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.
From 2017 until their separation in 2020, he also managed Clarkson, securing high-profile opportunities such as her role as a coach on The Voice and the launch of her daytime talk show.