Brandon Blackstock, the former husband and manager of singer Kelly Clarkson, died at age 48 in August 2025 after a three-year battle with melanoma, a form of skin cancer. He spent his final months at his $2.7 million ranch in Montana, where he felt most at home, passing away peacefully under hospice care surrounded by family. Blackstock’s death has drawn attention to melanoma and its risks. Prior to his death, he was seen with his daughter Savannah and maintained close relationships with family, including his former stepmother, country music star Reba McEntire, who described him as "like he's my blood." Blackstock’s son, Shelby, and first wife Melissa Ashworth Wells have publicly expressed their grief. His obituary revealed he had found a loving partner in Brittney Marie Jones, Kelly Clarkson’s former assistant, after his divorce from Clarkson in 2020. Clarkson, who has spoken openly about how Blackstock changed her life, was moved to tears during performances shortly before his death and is expected to return to her NBC talk show in September 2025. Dolly Parton has offered words of encouragement to both Clarkson and McEntire following Blackstock’s passing.