Kelly Clarkson’s Painful Journey with Brandon Blackstock Comes to Light After His Death. Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol winner, faced years of emotional and legal turmoil with her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, who died on August 7, 2025, at the age of 48 after a private, three-year battle with cancer.

Blackstock, a music manager and stepson of Reba McEntire, shared two children with Clarkson: River Rose and Remington Alexander. The couple married in 2013 and divorced in 2020. Following their split, a Los Angeles judge granted Clarkson primary custody, citing conflict and a lack of trust.

Blackstock, who was living in Montana, was allowed visitation and daily FaceTime calls. Both were ordered not to speak negatively about each other in front of their children. Clarkson admitted on her talk show in 2021 that co-parenting was “tough,” especially with the distance between them. Although custody was settled, financial disputes continued for years.

In May 2024, both parties dropped all remaining lawsuits, including claims that Blackstock had improperly taken commissions from Clarkson’s earnings — by then, he was already seriously ill.

Beyond legal battles, the emotional strain on the family was deep. In 2023, Clarkson shared that her children still wished for their parents to reunite. In late 2024, she revealed they were hesitant about her dating again, saying, “Please, we don’t want you to be with anybody else.”

Brandon Blackstock’s passing brought a difficult chapter to a close — one marked by public conflict, personal pain, and two children still holding on to the hope of a united family.