How did Reba McEntire's relationship with Narvel Blackstock evolve before Brandon's death at 48? Timeline explained

Reba McEntire, stepmother of Brandon Blackstock and ex-wife of his father, Narvel Blackstock, has come to the spotlight following her stepson’s death on August 7, 2025, after his prolonged battle with cancer.

Blackstock shared a close relationship with his stepmother. In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Tonight, she described her love for both Kelly and Brandon, calling him her own flesh and blood. She said:

“Brandon's been my son forever it seems. Although he's my stepson, I still love him like he's my total -- my blood..”

McEntire’s relationship with her former husband, Narvel Blackstock, was marked by 26 years of marriage followed by their divorce. According to US Weekly, the couple met in the mid-1980s when Narvel worked as her tour manager. They were married from 1989 to 2015.

Continue to read more about their relationship.

All about the relationship between Reba McEntire and her former husband Narvel Blackstock

Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock’s relationship spanned over three decades. Besides being husband and wife, they were also business partners. Blackstock co-founded his management company, Starstruck, in 1989 with his ex-wife, according to a report in Today.

Narvel managed high-profile celebs such as Blake Shelton, McEntire and Clarkson while working as a talent manager at the company. It was through his profession that he met Reba McEntire.

After her marriage to Blackstock in 1989, she became a stepmother to her husband’s three children — Chassidy, Shawna, and Brandon. She shares a son named Shelby Blackstock with her husband, who was born one year after their wedding in 1990. He is a former NASCAR driver and currently works as Principal & Co-Founder at B&R Developments LLC, per his LinkedIn.

However, their marriage couldn’t survive, and they eventually separated in 2015. Their split was reportedly amicable but Blackstock walked away with $47.5 million in the settlement.

Reba McEntire previously spoke about her business-centric relationship with Blackstock. During a chat on The Drew Barrymore Show in 2024, she said:

“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.”

She added:

“Even when we were on vacation to recharge the batteries, about three days into a vacation it was like, 'You know what we can do?'”

Announcing their divorce in 2015, Blackstock's team shared in a statement –

“Despite this being the end of their marriage, they continue to support each other. They have worked together for 35 years and will continue to do so. They have asked that you respect their privacy during this time.”

However, despite her split, she maintained a healthy relationship with all of her stepchildren. McEntire is also friends with Brandon Blackstock’s ex-wife, Kelly Clarkson, who knew each other before the singer married her former husband.

After her split from Blackstock, RebaMcEntire started dating actor Rex Linn after they reconnected on the set of Young Sheldon. They initially met on the set of The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.

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