Reba McEntire broke her silence over her former stepson Brandon Blackstock’s death.

On Monday, the country superstar paid tribute to her former stepson with a comment underneath an Instagram post shared by her son Shelby Blackstock. 

‘Very well said Shelby. Yes we will miss him so much,’ the singer, 70, wrote alongside various red heart and broken heart emojis. 

McEntire was previously married to Brandon and Shelby’s father, film producer Narvel Blackstock, 68, from 1989 to 2015. 

This comes soon after the shocking news from Brandon’s obituary, which disclosed that he was romantically involved with Kelly Clarkson’s ‘assistant’ at the time he passed away.

Brandon, who had two young children with Clarkson and was married to her for nearly seven years before their separation in 2020, passed away from melanoma cancer at the age of 48 on August 7.

Reba McEntire broke her silence over her former stepson Brandon Blackstock’s death; pictured March 2025

McEntire was formerly married to the father of Brandon and Shelby, film producer Narvel Blackstock, from 1989 to 2015; they are pictured here in May 2025 at the 60th CMAs.

The day before his death was announced, Clarkson, 43, postponed her Las Vegas residency and revealed that her ex had been ‘ill.’ 

Shelby, 35, posted a heartbreaking tribute to his late brother the day after Brandon’s death. 

‘Words cannot begin to capture the tremendous loss our family has endured. Yesterday, we lost a brother, a father, a grandfather, and a son,’ he wrote in his caption alongside throwback photos with his half brother.

‘Brandon Blackstock was an irreplaceable part of our family—funny, bright, and full of life—and he will be deeply missed.’ 

In his caption, Shelby said that his older brother ‘taught me so much,’ adding that he will ‘hold onto forever’ the lessons as well as ‘countless cherished memories’ of the time they spent together.

He concluded his heartfelt post to his late brother: ‘We will always miss you, Brandon, and we will never stop loving, remembering and celebrating you.’ 

Previously, McEntire gushed about Brandon and said that she considered her former stepson as her own. 

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2021, she said about the music manager: ‘Brandon’s been my son forever it seems. Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total — my blood…’ 

Brandon — the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, with whom he shared two young children — died of melanoma cancer at the age of 48 on August 7; pictured from left to right in March 2015: Brandon’s father Narvel Blackstock, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock

On Monday, the country superstar paid tribute to her former stepson with a comment underneath an Instagram post shared by her son Shelby Blackstock

Shelby, 35, posted a heartbreaking tribute to his late brother the day after Brandon’s death

‘Words cannot begin to capture the tremendous loss our family has endured. Yesterday, we lost a brother, a father, a grandfather, and a son,’ he wrote in his caption alongside throwback photos with his half brother

Earlier this year, just five months before his death, Brandon and his family reunited with McEntire at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where the music legend was one of three headliners. 

‘When she did her rodeo concert, which was a big deal for her, she flew out the entire family and they made a family vacation out of it. They all spent a lot of time together,’ a source told Us Weekly. 

The insider also said: ‘Reba has spent more time with the Blackstock crew in the past year than in years prior.’ 

In one photo shared by McEntire’s son Shelby, the singer posed alongside her boyfriend Rex Linn alongside Brandon and his eldest daughter Savannah. 

Brandon’s sisters Chassidy and Shawna were also in attendance alongside Shelby and his wife Marissa. 

‘Narvel and his wife, Laura, and Reba’s boyfriend, Rex, are at a place where they can be together and talk, which is a big step,’ the insider told the outlet about the family’s relationship after many ‘contentious’ years.

‘Reba has a heart of gold, and she was there for Brandon and his kids. They are family at the end of the day.’ 

The late music manager could be seen in the top left alongside his brother Shelby with McEntire, Brandon’s former stepmother, front and center of the family portrait

Brandon was married to the Clarkson from 2013 to 2022; during their marriage, they welcomed two children together, daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remy, nine; pictured February 2013 in Los Angeles

Brandon was married to the Clarkson from 2013 to 2022; during their marriage, they welcomed two children together, daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remy, nine. 

The late music manager was also father to daughter Savannah, 23, and son Seth, 18, both of whom he shared with his first wife Melissa Ashforth. 

Blackstock also became a grandpa in January 2022 when his daughter Savannah welcomed her first child, a son named Lake Lee, with her husband Quentin Lee. 

Just one month before Brandon’s death, his daughter Savannah had announced that she was expecting a second child, a baby girl, with her husband.