Brandon Blackstock — Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and former manager — has died, TMZ has confirmed.
In a statement, his family shared, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
Sources tell TMZ that Blackstock had been fighting melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, for the past three and a half years. He passed away earlier this morning.
His declining health had become apparent when Clarkson announced she was postponing her Las Vegas residency to be with her children due to her ex-husband’s condition. Recent rumors about her potentially leaving The Kelly Clarkson Show because of frequent absences were also tied to Blackstock’s illness. Staff members were aware but chose to keep the matter private out of respect for the family.
Clarkson and Blackstock first met in 2006 during rehearsals for the Academy of Country Music Awards, though they didn’t start dating until 2012 after reconnecting at Super Bowl XLVI. The couple got engaged later that year, married in 2013, and welcomed two children together. Clarkson has credited Blackstock with encouraging her to take on hosting her own talk show. She filed for divorce in 2020, and it was finalized in March 2022.
Blackstock began his career at Starstruck Entertainment, his father’s management company, and went on to represent major country acts such as Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.
Brandon Blackstock was 48 years old.