Brandon Blackstock's career U-turn after Kelly Clarkson divorce before death

Kelly Clarkson's former husband, Brandon Blackstock, has died aged 48 on August 7. However, he chose to step back from the limelight years before his death.

Brandon had carved out a career as a talent manager and producer within his father Narvel Blackstock's firm, Starstruck Entertainment. He not only managed Kelly's career but also represented country stars like Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.

His ties to the music world extended through family as well, with country icon Reba McEntire having been his stepmother. Yet, following his cancer diagnosis three years prior, he had retreated from the music scene.

Despite his professional achievements, Brandon was perhaps most famously known as Kelly Clarkson's spouse.

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The couple tied the knot in 2013 after meeting at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2006, where Kelly was working with his father, who was her manager at the time. They reconnected six years later and wed in 2013, sharing two children, while Brandon also had two kids from his previous marriage to Melissa Atworth, reports the Mirror US.

Reflecting on her family life, including being a stepmum to Brandon's kids, Kelly shared on a chat show: "I have had teenagers in my house, for like eight years. I had that, we were a blended family, it's real different."

Brandon and Kelly's romance initially appeared to be a fairy tale, but it quickly unravelled when Kelly filed for divorce in 2020. The split swiftly became tabloid fodder, followed by a contentious legal wrangle.

Following the tumultuous legal proceedings, Brandon seemed to fade from the limelight of the music industry.

He shifted his focus towards a rancher lifestyle, and just months before his passing, he was seen with family, including Reba McEntire, at the Houston Rodeo.

His family announced his passing on Thursday with a heartfelt statement: "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 and was 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."

Kelly previously opened up about her past relationship with Brandon. In 2024, she told how they started dating in early 2012 and married in Walland, Tennessee, in October the following year. At the time, Kelly candidly referred to her 2015 song Piece By Piece, written in honour of her then husband, who she said gave her security her father never did.

She said: "I've always known that love is hard. For me, love has always come with this elephant in the room of sadness. I've known love is not forever. I don't mean that to sound depressing, but I think we put a lot of pressure on that word.

"Sometimes love is looking at someone and going, 'This is not good for you. This is not good for me.' That's a hard thing to face. But when you do, I think you grow."

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