“The Voice” coach Reba McEntire has been married twice and helped raise six children, including five stepchildren and her only biological son, Shelby Blackstock.
The country music star married her first husband, champion steer wrestler Charlie Battles, in 1976. After their divorce in 1987, she married music manager Narvel Blackstock in 1989. Their marriage lasted 26 years before they separated in 2015.
Although both marriages ended in divorce, McEntire has maintained relationships with her stepchildren and has repeatedly said she considers them her own.
The “Fancy” singer has also spoken publicly about raising Shelby, who was born in 1990, and how becoming a mother changed her priorities.
Reba McEntire’s First Husband Was Rodeo Champion Charlie Battles
McEntire married Battles in 1976, years before she became one of country music’s biggest stars.
According to a 2001 CNN profile, McEntire was 21 when she married the 31-year-old rodeo champion.
Battles had two sons, Coty and Lance, from a previous relationship, making McEntire a stepmother for the first time.
The couple remained married for 11 years before divorcing in 1987.
Following their split, McEntire continued building her music career. She later began a relationship with Blackstock, who had worked as her tour manager during the 1980s.
The two married in 1989, and Blackstock eventually took over management of her career through his company, Starstruck Entertainment.
McEntire became stepmother to Blackstock’s three children from his previous marriage to Elisa Gayle Ritter: Shawna, Chassidy, and Brandon.
The couple welcomed Shelby on February 23, 1990.
Reba McEntire’s Second Marriage Ended With a Reported $47.5 Million Settlement
McEntire and Blackstock announced their separation in 2015 after 26 years of marriage.
Their divorce also ended a longtime professional partnership. Multiple outlets reported that Blackstock received a $47.5 million divorce settlement, while McEntire took control of managing her career.
During a March 2024 appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” McEntire reflected on the relationship.
“[My marriage] was a situation that was always business,” she said.
Despite the divorce, McEntire continued treating Blackstock’s children as members of her family.
In a 2010 interview with The Boot, she explained how she viewed her relationship with them.
“I don’t consider Brandon, Chassidy and Shawna [Blackstock] stepchildren,” McEntire said. “I claim them all.”
Shawna and Chassidy have largely stayed out of the public spotlight, although McEntire has occasionally shared family photos featuring them.
In a 2014 Mother’s Day Instagram post, she wrote, “Happy Mother’s Day to Gloria, Trish, Shawna and Chassidy! Love you all!!!”
Two years later, McEntire shared a Facebook photo with Chassidy and her daughter Jadyn while attending a family baseball practice.
‘The Voice’ Coach Remained Close to Stepson Brandon Blackstock
McEntire’s stepson Brandon Blackstock followed his father into the entertainment business, working as a talent manager for artists including Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.
Brandon married former “The Voice” coach Kelly Clarkson in 2013. The couple welcomed two children, River Rose and Remington Alexander, before their divorce.
Brandon also had two children, Savannah and Seth, from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth.
During Clarkson and Brandon’s divorce, McEntire spoke about her relationship with her stepson in a 2021 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“Brandon’s been my son forever it seems,” she said. “Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total—my blood.”
Brandon died on August 7, 2025, following a cancer battle. He was 48.
His family confirmed the news in a statement to The Associated Press, revealing that he had been battling the disease for more than three years.
“He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family,” the statement read.
Reba McEntire Reveals How Motherhood Changed Her Life
McEntire’s only biological child, Shelby Steven McEntire Blackstock, pursued a career in professional auto racing.
Shelby spent part of his childhood in Nashville before moving to Los Angeles when he was 10 as McEntire began filming her sitcom, “Reba.”
In a 2022 interview with People, McEntire explained that she made a conscious effort not to spoil her son despite her successful entertainment career.
“When we would play games or cards, I’d never let Shelby win,” she said. “He wouldn’t have learned anything that way.”
She also recalled the advice she gave him growing up.
“I always told Shelby, ‘I’ll always love you, but I want other people to like you,'” McEntire said. “So don’t be a little jerk. Don’t be a spoiled brat.”
McEntire credited motherhood with changing how she approached her personal life.
“Shelby is a gift from God to me. We’re very close,” she told People.
“I was a very self-centered person to a degree before Shelby. But then there’s a little character who you are given the job to protect and nurture and love and teach, so all the attention’s not on you anymore.”
All About Reba McEntire’s First 2 Husbands, Her Divorces and the 6 Children She Calls Her Own