Reba McEntire misses The Voice taping as she processes ‘the biggest heartbreak’ of stepson Brandon Blackstock’s death

REBA McEntire has missed tapings of The Voice as she processes ‘the biggest heartbreak’ of stepson Brandon Blackstock’s death, The U.S. Sun can reveal.

Brandon passed away at just the age of 48 following a private battle with melanoma cancer and his death comes in the middle of production for both Reba and his ex-wife, Kelly Clarkson’s, next seasons of The Voice.

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Reba McEntire during The Battle Rounds on season 25 of The VoiceCredit: Getty

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Reba McEntire poses with her son, Shelby Blackstock, (right) and stepson Brandon (middle)Credit: instagram/@shelbyblackstock
Reba, 70, is currently filming season 28 of The Voice at the same time that Kelly, 43, is taping season 29 as the NBC series produces two seasons simultaneously every Summer.

Kelly was married to the former music manager from 2013 until 2022 while Reba was married to Brandon’s father, Narvel Blackstock, from 1989 until their divorce in 2015.

Although she was no longer married to Narvel, whom she shares son Shelby Blackstock with, Reba still considered Brandon her son and maintained a tight-knit relationship.

Their close bond makes his death even more difficult for the country star to process and has impacted the current season of The Voice.

According to a production insider, Reba was not able to attend tapings of The Voice this past week “for obvious reasons.”

“The team [at The Voice] has known Reba for years. She was an advisor to Blake [Shelton] all the way back in season 1 and has been involved a lot of seasons since.

“So she is just as much family as you can get here. This has been, from the limited info they’ve gotten from her, the biggest heartbreak of her life,” the insider explained.

The source continued: “She considered Brandon her son, not a stepson but her son.

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TV Producer Narvel Blackstock, singers Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock attend Muhammad Ali’s 2015 Celebrity Fight Night XXI in Phoenix, ArizonaCredit: Getty
“She would brag about him like her son, he’d visit her on set, and they very much had that mother-son bond.

“It’s not clear yet when she will be back. [The show] has two more tapings for the season 28 Knockout rounds on the last week of August that Reba was scheduled to be at, but that’s it for awhile.

“Everything else will be the live show. It’s unclear if Reba will be back for those, the show is working on her schedule right now, not the other way around.

“The show will support her, and Kelly, any way that they can.”

Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock seen beaming with family at rodeo just months before death at 48
It is unclear if another star will be tapped to fill-in for Reba, or if production will film around her absence.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to NBC for comment.

DEVASTATING LOSS

On August 7th, Brandon’s former company, Starstruck Entertainment, announced that he had passed away at the age of 48 following a battle with melanoma cancer.

“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.

“We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” the company where Brandon served as a music manager for years stated.

Reba McEntire TV Appearances

In addition to being a country superstar, Reba McEntire has enjoyed a lucrative career in TV and film. She had her own eponynimous sitcom, which ran from 2001 to 2007, and also famously served as a judge on The Voice. Reba’s acting credits don’t stop there, however.

Here are all Reba’s TV and film roles:

The Voice
Big Sky
Young Sheldon
PJ Masks
Last Man Standing
Baby Daddy
Malibu Country
Working Class
Better With You
Reba
Diagnosis Murder
Frasier
Tremors
The Land Before Time
One Night at McCool’s
Secret of Giving
Forever Love
Buffalo Girls
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
Is There Life Out There?
The Man from Left Field
Country Gold
The Little Rascals
North

While Kelly has already canceled several professional projects that were set to happen in August, such as her Las Vegas concerts and a Texas charity benefit, the September premiere of The Kelly Clarkson Show is still happening, The U.S. Sun previously revealed.

Brandon, who became very private following his divorce from Kelly, 43, was rarely pictured in recent years.

After the couple’s separation in June 2020, Brandon left Los Angeles, where Kelly was currently residing to host her talk show, and moved to live a quieter life on his ranch in Montana.

The couple endured a drawn-out custody battle that turned nasty in court after Kelly filed for divorce in June of 2020.

Their divorce was finalized in 2022 and cost Kelly a fortune, including a one-time payment of $1.3 million, monthly child support of $45,601, as well as a monthly spousal support payment of $115,000.

However, Kelly was granted primary custody of their two children, River Rose and Remington Alexander with Brandon having visitation rights.

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Brandon hugs his brother, Shelby Blackstock, in an emotional photo tributeCredit: instagram/@shelbyblackstock

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Reba McEntire has been a part of The Voice family since its first seasonCredit: Getty

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Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire during The Knockout rounds of season 23Credit: Getty