Is Reba McEntire’s ex Narvel Blackstock married? All we know about Brandon Blackstock’s father’s relationship

Narvel Blackstock, who is married to his third wife, Laura Stroud, is now mourning the loss of his eldest son, Brandon Blackstock, from his first marriage to Elisa Gayle Ritter. Brandon Blackstock, who passed away on Thursday following a battle with cancer, was previously married to Kelly Clarkson and shared two children with the Grammy-winning singer.

A statement released by his family following his death read:

"It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled 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."

Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson were married for seven years, until their divorce in 2020. Following his divorce, Blackstock was diagnosed with cancer in 2022. The former couple maintained a good relationship, and Kelly Clarkson had recently postponed her Las Vegas residency in light of his declining health. She noted in an Instagram post:

"While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them."

More about Narvel Blackstock's relationships, as his son Brandon Blackstock passes away

Narvel Blackstock was first married to Elisa Gayle Ritter, whom he married on March 30, 1973. The couple were married for fifteen years, during which they welcomed three children. The couple divorced in 1988, after which Narvel Blackstock married Reba McEntire in 1989.

Narvel Blackstock and Reba McEntire were married for twenty-six years. They welcomed their first and only son, Shelby Blackstock, in 1990. The couple were together until their divorce in 2015. Speaking about her divorce, McEntire said:

"[Ours was] a situation that was always business. I think it works for some people. They can be married or have a relationship and work together. Our work was all the time. Our marriage was 26 years. We started out working together in the band. He was part of the band, and then became my manager, later on then my husband, but it was a situation that was always business — whether we were getting ready in the morning, pillow talk, whatever, but it was business."

After his divorce from McEntire, Blackstock tied the knot with Laura Stroud in April 2024. It is not known exactly when Narvel Blackstock started dating Laura Stroud, but the couple had been together for several years before their marriage.

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According to The Sun, Laura Stroud was a former friend of actress Reba McEntire. The couple got married in Nashville at the beautiful Hermitage Hotel, in a private ceremony attended by their closest friends and family. The ceremony was attended by many big celebrities like Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani.

The news of Narvel Blackstock's marriage to his third wife came just days after Reba McEntire, who is currently dating actor Rex Linn, revealed that she was open to getting married again.

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