Reba McEntire Considered Brandon Blackstock, Dead At 48, 'My Son Forever'

Reba McEntire embraced Brandon Blackstock as her own son.

The legendary country star, 70, was Blackstock’s stepmother when she was married to his father, Narvel Blackstock, from 1989 to 2015. Brandon Blackstock died on Thursday (August 7) after a battle with cancer that spanned more than three years. He was 48. The late talent manager is survived by children Savannah and Seth from a previous marriage, grandson Lake, and children River, 11, and Remington, 9, whom he shares with ex-wife Kelly Clarkson. Savannah also recently announced she’s pregnant with another child.

Though McEntire has not publicly spoken about Brandon Blackstock since his death, the beloved singer-songwriter previously spoke about the duo’s close bond over the years. McEntire said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2021, for example, that she couldn’t “play favorites” as her stepson and Clarkson went through their divorce. McEntire 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, so I'm praying for ‘em both 'cause I love ‘em both.”

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday. An unnamed source told the publication on Friday (August 8) that Clarkson is “devastated for the kids” after his loss. “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.”