The official cause of death for Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, has been confirmed.
Silver Bow County Coroner Dan Hollis told Us Weekly on Monday, August 11, that Blackstock’s cause of death was melanoma, a form of skin cancer, and the manner of his death was natural causes. “Brandon Blackstock passed away peacefully at his home in Butte, Montana on August 7th under hospice care surrounded by his family,” Hollis said in a statement.
Blackstock died on August 7 after privately battling cancer for three years. He was 48.
“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,” a family rep told Us in a statement. “We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
One day earlier, Clarkson, 43, alerted fans to Blackstock’s illness when she put her Las Vegas residency on pause, though she didn’t reveal the nature of his condition at the time.

Brandon Blackstock. Taylor Hill/Getty Images
“Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” she announced via Instagram on August 6. “While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them. I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
Clarkson and Blackstock wed in October 2013 and went on to welcome daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9. During their marriage, Blackstock worked as the singer’s manager. Clarkson ultimately filed for divorce in June 2020 after nearly seven years. The pair finalized the proceedings in March 2022 following a messy legal battle.
Prior to his relationship with Clarkson, Blackstock was married to Melissa Ashworth from 2001 to 2012. The exes shared daughter Savannah, 23, and son Seth, 18.

Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS
In January 2022, Blackstock became a first-time grandfather when Savannah gave birth to her and now-husband Quentin Lee’s son, Lake. Savannah announced in July that the couple are expecting their second baby.
Outside of his marriage to Clarkson, Brandon had another Hollywood connection via his father, Narvel Blackstock, who was Clarkson’s manager earlier in her career. Narvel was previously married to Reba McEntire from 1989 to 2015, during which time she was stepmom to Brandon and his two sisters, Chassidy and Shawna. Narvel and McEntire’s son, Shelby, who was born in 1990, was Brandon’s half-brother.