On Thursday, August 7, Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, passed away. A spokesperson for Blackstock shared the news of his passing in a statement to NBC News that read:"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."Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XXI - Backstage And Audience - Source: GettyBrandon Blackstock was born and raised in Texas, with both his parents working in the music industry. After his parents divorced each other, Brandon's father, Narvel Blackstock, started seeing country artist Reba McEntire, with the couple getting married in 1989, Times Now News reports. According to the media outlet, McEntire was Brandon's stepmother for more than a decade, until Narvel and she parted ways in 2015. Reba remained close with Brandon and his family despite the divorce.Times Now News also reported that Blackstock was spotted attending the Houston Rodeo with Reba McEntire, his brother Shelby Blackstock, and his children in March 2024.The news of Brandon Blackstock's death comes a day after his ex-wife, Kelly Clarkson, postponed the remaining dates of her ongoing Las Vegas residency concert, citing his health issues as the reason.Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock were married for seven yearsKelly Clarkson met Brandon Blackstock in 2003 while rehearsing for the Academy of Country Music Awards. Brandon was then married to Melissa Ashworth, but after their 2012 split, he and Kelly began dating. At the time, Kelly was managed by Brandon’s father.According to the Beautiful Disaster singer, their first date took place on February 11, 2012, on the very day that her idol, Whitney Houston, passed away. Kelly recalled feeling like it was "a bad omen" at the time.However, the couple continued to see each other throughout the year, before Clarkson finally announced her engagement on Twitter in December. The Addicted singer wrote:"I'M ENGAGED!!!! I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night! I am so lucky and am with the greatest man ever."The following year, on October 20, 2013, the couple got married in a private ceremony in Tennessee. A month later, the newlyweds announced that they were expecting their first pregnancy. Kelly predicted having a girl, which she very much wanted. In June 2014, Clarkson and Blackstock welcomed their daughter, River Rose.In 2015, the singer was expecting a second child with Brandon. Their baby son, Remington Alexander, was born in April 2016.Four years later, Kelly Clarkson filed for a divorce from Brandon Blackstock in June 2020, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason behind it.Following a messy divorce with conflicts over finances and child custody, Brandon Blackstock moved to Montana, exiting the music management business to open a ranch.