Reba McEntire revealed her bond with former stepson Brandon Blackstock received't quickly be forgotten following his demise earlier this 12 months.
“My relationship with my stepson, Brandon Blackstock, was treasured,” McEntire, 70, informed People on Tuesday, October 21, following Blackstock's demise in August on the age of 48. “I completely beloved that baby.”
McEntire recalled Brandon coming into her life when he was 4 years previous after she began courting his father, Narvel Blackstock, whom she wed in 1989. (Brandon adopted in his father's footsteps and have become a music supervisor previous to his premature demise.)
“Then when Narvel and I obtained married, he was 13, 14,” the Voice coach remembered, noting that as a result of Brandon was only a child once they met, she was an energetic a part of his upbringing.
“Alongside along with his mother and pa, I helped elevate him, together with [Narvel's other kids] Shawna and Chassidy,” McEntire stated. “They had been my youngsters.” (McEntire and Narvel, 69, share one son, Shelby, 35.)
The nation singer, who divorced Narvel in 1995, nonetheless has fond reminiscences of Brandon, remembering him because the “humorous” younger baby who beloved to “pull pranks.”
“He beloved to scare folks,” McEntire revealed, noting Narvel's workers at Starstruck Leisure had been a few of his favourite targets. “We'd be on the workplace there at Starstruck in Nashville and I'd be sitting at my desk and I'd see Penny Chubb [a Starstruck Entertainment employee] stroll by going to the woman's room, after which right here comes Brandon. He'd cover behind the pillar.”
McEntire laughed when desirous about Brandon as a child standing for 10 minutes simply “ready to scare any person.”
The Comfortable's Place actress famous that the jokes didn't cease there.
“In case you ever parked your automobile in entrance of the home at a household dinner you higher take your keys,” McEntire stated of one other one in all Brandon's go-to strikes. “Or he would take that automobile and drive all of it the best way round to the greenhouse and also you'd should stroll at nighttime and go get your automobile.”
Brandon Blackstock‘s relationship along with his former stepmother, Reba McEntire, remained robust by way of their respective divorces. Following her 1989 marriage to the expertise supervisor's father, Narvel Blackstock, the nation famous person turned near Brandon. Brandon's been my son eternally it appears,” McEntire informed Leisure Tonight in October 2021. “Though he's my stepson, I nonetheless love him […]
McEntire confessed, “I really like to tug an excellent prank however he got here by that naturally.”
She added that everybody within the household appreciated his “humorousness,” including that their lives are eternally modified with out him.
“Brandon is sorely missed, really missed along with his mischievousness and his love of life,” McEntire concluded. “He introduced pleasure to all people that met him, and we'll always remember him.”
McEntire was married to Narvel for 26 years — and was the stepmother to his three kids earlier than welcoming their son Shelby in 1990 — earlier than calling it quits in 1995. Narvel was additionally McEntire's supervisor previous to their divorce.
When Brandon married Kelly Clarkson, McEntire's bond with him and his then-wife solely appeared to develop stronger. Whereas Clarkson, 43, filed for divorce from Brandon in 2020 after seven years of marriage, she remained near McEntire — as did her and Brandon's kids, River, 11, and Remy, 9. (Brandon was additionally the daddy of Savannah, 23, and Seth, 18, from his marriage to Melissa Ashworth.)
Us Weekly confirmed in August that Brandon died following a personal battle with most cancers.
Narvel Blackstock, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock. Michael Buckner/Getty Pictures for Celeb Battle Evening
“It's with nice disappointment that we share the information that Brandon Blackstock has handed away,” a rep for the household shared in an announcement to Us. “Brandon bravely battled most cancers for greater than three years. He handed away peacefully and was surrounded by household. We thanks on your ideas and prayers and ask everybody to respect the household's privateness throughout this very troublesome time.”
Brandon Blackstock quietly frolicked along with his former stepmother, Reba McEntire, lower than 5 months earlier than his demise. Brandon and his half-brother, Shelby Blackstock, reunited with McEntire, 70, and her boyfriend, Rex Linn, at RodeoHouston in March. “Household time, the @rodeohouston and corn canine,” Shelby, 35, wrote through Instagram on March 5. “We had a […]
The next month, McEntire gave an replace on how Brandon's youngsters had been holding up.
“The children are doing effectively, they're all bonding collectively and hanging out with one another, and taking it sooner or later at a time,” McEntire informed Leisure Tonight in September. “We all know God's obtained this.”
In the course of the household's heartbreak, McEntire has leaned on her fiancé, Rex Linn, whom she started courting in 2020. Us confirmed in September that Linn, 68, and McEntire are engaged. The singer later revealed that Linn popped the query in 2024.
“Rex brings out the little woman in me, and I've enjoyable. I'm dorky, I'm goofy. He's too. We like to snort, and we love one another,” McEntire completely informed Us in October 2024.
