Brandon Blackstock and Blake Shelton's Relationship Explained

Long before meeting Kelly Clarkson, Brandon Blackstock found himself thrust into the music industry.

After watching his father, Narvel Blackstock, find success as a manager for several high-profile musicians, Brandon decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps and work for various musicians at Starstruck Entertainment.

According to the company’s website, Starstuck Entertainment manages several successful singers, including Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce.

While attending rehearsals for the 2006 ACM Awards, Brandon had the opportunity to meet Clarkson, who was being managed by Narvel at the time.

Brandon Blackstock's Family Guide: His Kids, Stepmom Reba McEntire and More

What came next was a unique love story with Clarkson and an even closer connection to Shelton.

As family and friends mourn the death of Brandon — who died on August 7, 2025, after a private battle with cancer — keep reading to better understand the manager’s relationship with Shelton:

Blake Shelton’s Super Bowl Performance 

Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for NBC

Although they met years prior, Clarkson and Brandon didn’t officially start dating until 2012 after reconnecting at Super Bowl XLVI.

While Clarkson was in attendance to perform the national anthem, Shelton was singing “America the Beautiful” alongside his now ex-wife Miranda Lambert.

“I was so nervous because it wasn’t that I didn’t want to suck for the millions of people watching, I didn’t want to suck because I was trying to impress a guy,” Clarkson joked to SiriusXM in 2017. “I wanted [Brandon] to be like, ‘Damn.’ It had nothing to do with the Super Bowl!”

Blake Shelton Attends Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s Wedding

Reba McEntire, John Espositio, Blake Shelton, Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson Todd Williamson/Getty Images for InStyle

Before Brandon proposed to Clarkson, Shelton offered a bit of advice to his friend and manager.

“I told Brandon, ‘Man, you need to grow up and figure out that you need to marry this girl. I am going to go on record saying, ‘I will do the music at the wedding or whatever you want to do, I’ll be that guy,’” Shelton told Hollyscoop in 2012.

One year later, Clarkson and Brandon got married at Blackberry Farms in Tennessee.

“[Blake’s] not only singing, he’s marrying us,” Clarkson told Entertainment Tonight before the ceremony. “He totally is, he’s done it before with people.”

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock's Relationship Timeline

Blake Shelton Reacts to Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s Divorce

After Clarkson chose to file for divorce from Brandon in June 2020, the pair went through a long and public court battle. While Shelton didn’t directly comment on the split, TMZ reported in 2021 that the former Voice coach terminated his professional relationship with Brandon.

Another source shared with Us in 2021 that Brandon had all but quit the music industry, making it easier for Clarkson and Shelton to keep their friendship strong.

“Blake and Kelly are extremely close,” the insider told Us at the time. “Their friendship and bond goes beyond the business.”