Reba McEntire is remembering her late stepson, Brandon Blackstock, with love. In an interview with People, the country icon opened up, sharing how special their bond was before his passing in August after a private cancer battle. “My relationship with my stepson, Brandon Blackstock, was precious,” McEntire, 70, the beloved “Idol” judge, said. “I absolutely loved that child.”
Brandon entered McEntire’s life when he was just 4, after she began dating his father, Narvel Blackstock, whom she later married in 1989. “Then when Narvel and I got married, he was 13, 14,” McEntire recalled. “Along with his mom and dad, I helped raise him, along with [Narvel’s other kids] Shawna and Chassidy. They were my kids.”
Remembering Brandon’s Playful Personality
The ‘Fancy’ singer fondly remembered Brandon as a fun-loving, mischievous child who could make anyone laugh. “He loved to scare people,” McEntire recalled, sharing how he would sneak up on Narvel’s employees at Starstruck Entertainment in Nashville.
“We’d be at the office there at Starstruck in Nashville, and I’d be sitting at my desk, and I’d see Penny Chubb walk by going to the ladies’ room, and then here comes Brandon. He’d hide behind the pillar,” she said with a laugh.
McEntire smiled as she described how Brandon would stand there for ten minutes, waiting for the perfect moment to pull off one of his pranks. “If you ever parked your car in front of the house at a family dinner, you better take your keys,” she added.
“Or he would take that car and drive it all the way around to the greenhouse, and you’d have to walk in the dark and go get your car.”
“I love to pull a good prank, but he came by that naturally,” McEntire said. “Brandon is sorely missed, truly missed, with his mischievousness and his love of life. He brought joy to everybody that met him, and we’ll never forget him.”
A Family Remembering & Healing
McEntire was married to Narvel Blackstock for 26 years and was a stepmother to his three children before welcoming their son, Shelby, now 35, in 1990. Even after her divorce in 1995, McEntire remained close to Brandon and his family.
When Brandon married Kelly Clarkson, McEntire’s bond with them both only deepened. After Clarkson, 43, filed for divorce in 2020, she and McEntire remained close, as did Clarkson’s children with Brandon River, 11, and Remy, 9. Brandon was also father to Savannah, 23, and Seth, 18, from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth.
Following his death in August, the family released a statement through Us Weekly confirming that Brandon had passed away after battling 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,” the statement read.
In September, McEntire shared that Brandon’s children were “doing well” and “taking it one day at a time,” telling Entertainment Tonight, “We know God’s got this.”
Reba Finds Strength in Love & Family
GettyDuring this difficult time, McEntire has leaned on her fiancé, Rex Linn, whom she began dating in 2020. The couple confirmed in September that they are engaged.
“Rex brings out the little girl in me, and I have fun. I’m dorky, I’m goofy. He is, too,” McEntire told US Weekly in a previous interview. “We love to laugh, and we love each other.”
As McEntire continues to grieve Brandon’s loss, she’s also celebrating his memory — the laughter, the pranks, and the love he shared with everyone around him. “He brought so much joy,” she said, “and we’ll never forget him.”
