“I absolutely loved that child”: Reba McEntire details relationship with stepson Brandon Blackstock months after death

Reba McEntire spoke tenderly about the connection she once shared with her stepson, Brandon Blackstock, saying the bond they built through decades of family life remained close to her heart even after his death earlier this year.

“My relationship with my stepson, Brandon Blackstock, was precious,” McEntire told People on Tuesday, October 21, reflecting on his passing in August at the age of 48.

“I absolutely loved that child.”

The country star first met Brandon Blackstock when he was just four years old, shortly after she began dating his father, Narvel Blackstock. She and Narvel later married in 1989, and McEntire became an active figure in Brandon’s early years.

“Then when Narvel and I got married, he was 13, 14,” she recalled.

Over time, Reba McEntire became deeply involved in raising him and Narvel’s other children, Shawna and Chassidy.

“Along with his mom and dad, I helped raise him, along with [Narvel’s other kids] Shawna and Chassidy, they were my kids,” she said.

Reba McEntire and Narvel also share a son, Shelby. Before his death, Brandon followed in his father’s footsteps into the music industry, managing artists and carving out a name for himself.

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Reba McEntire fondly recalls late stepson Brandon Blackstock’s mischievous childhood pranks

As reported by People, Reba McEntire looked back fondly on her memories of her stepson, recalling the mischievous streak that once kept everyone around him laughing. “He loved to scare people,” McEntire shared, describing how Narvel’s staff at Starstruck Entertainment often found themselves on the receiving end of Brandon’s antics.

“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 [a Starstruck Entertainment employee] walk by going to the lady’s room, and then here comes Brandon. He’d hide behind the pillar.”

McEntire laughed as she remembered watching the young boy’s patience, standing quietly for ten minutes “waiting to scare somebody.” The Happy’s Place actress said the fun didn’t stop there.

“If you ever parked your car in front of the house at a family dinner you better take your keys, 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,” she explained.

“I love to pull a good prank, but he came by that naturally,” McEntire admitted, adding that his humor and zest for life left a lasting impression on everyone around him.

“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,” she concluded.

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Reba McEntire shares her outlook on aging and performing

Reba McEntire turned 70 back in March, but the country and TV icon made it clear she wasn’t planning to slow down anytime soon. In fact, she said she might have another couple of decades before she even considers retirement. When asked about the idea in a recent interview with People, Reba McEntire didn’t hesitate.

“I don’t know when. It could be in 20 years,” she shared. That would make her 90, a thought that didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest.

“I think I’ll know when it’s time,” she added.

Reba McEntire reflected on a similar conversation she once had with Dolly Parton years ago, when the country legend guest-starred on McEntire’s sitcom Reba in the early 2000s.

“I said, ‘Are you going to retire?’” she recalled.

“[Parton] said, ‘Why would I? What in the world could I do and have as much fun as what I’m doing in this job right now?’ I agree with her a hundred percent. Slow down, maybe, but no plans of retiring,” she added.

True to her word, Reba McEntire showed no signs of stopping. She is serving her fourth round as a coach on The Voice, now in its 28th season, and preparing for the November 7 premiere of her NBC sitcom Happy’s Place, which is entering its second season.

At 70, McEntire continues to balance grace with grit, her trademark humor with heart.