Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and the father of her two children, has died.
Blackstock was 48. He is Reba McEntire’s former stepson and previously managed Clarkson and Blake Shelton.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep for the family told PEOPLE in a statement. “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.”

Clarkson postponed her impending Las Vegas residency shows on Wednesday, explaining that Blackstock had been ill, and that she needed to be with their children, River, 11, and Remington, 9.
“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill,” she wrote. “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows, and I so appreciate your grace, kindness, and understanding.”

Blackstock called Nashville home for years. He had two children from a previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth. He became a grandfather in 2022 when his daughter, Savannah, had a little boy.

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock Met in 2006

Clarkson and Blackstock met at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2006 when he was still married to Ashworth. They started dating six years later, following Blackstock’s divorce. The couple got engaged a few months later, in part thanks to a prod from Shelton.

“Man, you need to grow up and figure out that you need to marry this girl,” Shelton said, then offered to participate in their wedding. At one point, he even planned to officiate their ceremony, but the couple eloped.

Blackstock inspired Clarkson’s emotional hit “Piece By Piece.” She felt secure in their relationship and was confident he’d be a good father, unlike her own.

Lyrics include: He never walks away/ He never asks for money/ He takes care of me/ He loves me/Piece by Piece, he restored my faith/ That a man can be kind and a father could stay

Clarkson cited irreconcilable differences when she filed for divorce in 2020. It took nearly two years to finalize their divorce, and the former couple fought bitterly over child custody, money, and ownership of their Montana ranch.

Irreconcilable Differences

Blackstock left the music business to be a rancher. Blackstock founded Valley View Rodeo, a rodeo series described as dedicated to preserving the Western lifestyle in the modern day.

Clarkson’s 2023 album Chemistry was about the demise of their relationship.

In “Mine,” she sang: I hope one day someone will take your heart and hold it tight/ Make you feel like you’re invincible deep inside/ And right when you think that it’s perfect, they cross a line/ And steal your shine/ Like you did mine

“I think the thing about divorce — especially having it publicized, and people thinking they know the whole thing — the hardest part of that is, like, it wasn’t an overnight decision,” Clarkson later said of the split in 2023. ” (Clarkson) wanted to make it beautiful … to make it awesome. I wanted to make it everything it possibly could be, and sometimes that just doesn’t happen.”

Blackstock is survived by his sons Seth and Remington, daughters Savannah and River, and grandson Lake. He’s also survived by his mother, Elysa Gayle Ritter; his father, Narvel Blackstock; his former stepmother, Reba McEntire, who was married to Narvel from 1989 until 2015; and his siblings, Shelby, Shawna, and Chassidy.