Less than a week after his passing at the age of 48, the cause of death for Kelly Clarkson’s Ex-Husband Brandon Blackstock’s Cause of Death Revealed has been confirmed. Brandon Blackstock, a Nashville music manager best known for his seven-year marriage to Kelly Clarkson, died peacefully at his home in Butte, Montana, on August 7. He was under hospice care and surrounded by family at the time, according to a statement given to People magazine by Silver Bow County coroner Dan Hollis.
Hollis confirmed that Blackstock’s death was caused by melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, and classified the manner of death as natural causes.
According to the Mayo Clinic, melanoma begins in melanocytes — the cells that produce the pigment giving skin its color. While the exact cause is unknown, the condition is often linked to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning beds.
Following his death, Blackstock’s longtime workplace, Starstruck Entertainment, shared an emotional statement:
“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.”
The news came just a day after Kelly Clarkson announced she was postponing her August Las Vegas residency shows so she could spend time with their children during Blackstock’s illness.
Brandon, the son of Starstruck co-founder Narvel Blackstock, was also the former stepson of country legend Reba McEntire, who was married to his father for 26 years. Clarkson and Brandon first met when his father was her manager. The pair married in 2013 and went on to have two children together — River, born in 2014, and Remington, born in 2016. Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020, and after a lengthy legal process, they finalized their split in 2022.
In addition to his two children with Clarkson, Brandon is survived by two children from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth — Savannah and Seth — as well as a young grandson named Lake.
