REBA McEntire’s son has broken his silence in an emotional tribute to half-brother Brandon Blackstock after his heartbreaking death.
Brandon, 48, who left Los Angeles and his music manager career behind and settled into the life of a rancher in Montana after his bitter divorce with ex wife Kelly Clarkson, passed away from cancer.
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He became so private, his cancer diagnosis and three-year battle with melanoma was not publicly known until his shocking death on August 7.
Brandon’s father was Narvel Blackstock while his mother was Elisa Gayle Ritter.
Reba, 70, was married to music titan Narvel, 68, from 1989 until their divorce in 2015.
Despite no longer being married, Brandon and his brother, Shelby Blackstock continued to call Reba “mom” over the years.
Now her son, race car driver Shelby Blackstock, 35, has posted an emotional tribute to Brandon.
The pair share the same father and, alongside images of the pair together and with Reba, he wrote an heart-wrenching tribute.
Shelby penned: “Words cannot begin to capture the tremendous loss our family has endured.
“Yesterday, we lost a brother, a father, a grandfather, and a son.
“Brandon Blackstock was an irreplaceable part of our family — funny, bright, and full of life — and he will be deeply missed.”
He told how the dad of two had “taught me so much, leaving behind countless cherished memories that I will hold onto forever.”
Kelly Clarkson was ‘in talks’ to star on new reality show with Reba McEntire before her ex Brandon Blackstock’s death
Shelby added: “For every treasured moment we shared, there are so many more we’ll never get to make together, but I know you’ll still be there.
“Every hunt, every flight, and in the everyday moments of life, I’ll feel your presence.
“And although it may annoy you, you’ll have to watch me do it all just a little better, a little smoother, and — let’s be honest — looking far more handsome than you ever could in the process.
“We will always miss you, Brandon, and we will never stop loving, remembering and celebrating you.”
The Sun was first to reveal how Kelly was “in talks” to star on a new reality TV series with Reba prior to Brandon’s passing.
CANCER STRUGGLE
Earlier this week, a tragic family statement revealed Brandon’s death/
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” it read on Thursday.
The statement added: “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.”
Just one day prior, Kelly canceled her August concerts in her Las Vegas residency.
“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,” Kelly told fans.
She had quietly taken time off from her daytime talk show earlier in the year to support her kids during her ex’s illness.
TRAGIC END
In June 2020, Kelly filed for divorce from Brandon and at the time, cited “irreconcilable differences.”
The two fought in a nasty court war for the following years, battling over custody of their two kids, their real estate portfolio, and their financial empire.
The couple’s divorce was finally settled in March 2022, but it ended up costing the pop superstar a fortune.
She was ordered to pay Brandon over $1.3million in a lump sum, along with $45,601 per month in child support, and a staggering $115,000 a month in spousal support, according to court documents.
The pair were private about their life post-divorce but fans were concerned about the pop star’s family after she multiple leave of absence’s this year.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Kelly’s proposed TV show with Reba was originally pitched around 2019 but scrapped a year later.
It would have also involved the pair’s close pals, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani.
Their family connection would’ve been a theme on a previous season of The Voice, an insider spilled to The U.S. Sun.
“There were once talks of doing a family-themed season [of The Voice], it was a handful of years back, around 2019.
“The coaches would’ve been Reba, Kelly, Gwen, and Blake. The family theme being Kelly was Reba’s daughter-in-law and Kelly and Blake having the same manager at the time,” they said, acknowledging how Brandon once oversaw both Kelly’s and Blake’s career for a number of years.
“Kelly and Blake were also basically best buds at the time and of course, Gwen and Blake being together added that other family element.
“Their relationships were all very overlapping. Those four are very intertwined and have genuine connections.
“But then Kelly began to go through her divorce and the dynamics got too messy so it fizzled out.”
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