In a raw and revealing interview that peels back the layers of her unbreakable spirit, Reba McEntire has shared intimate memories of her late stepson, Brandon Blackstock, who succumbed to melanoma in August 2025 at the age of 48 after a private battle with the disease. The 70-year-old country legend, known for her powerhouse voice and unyielding resilience, sat down with PEOPLE magazine on October 21, 2025, to reflect on the profound bond they shared, describing Brandon as a “precious” part of her life who brought endless laughter and love to their blended family. “My relationship with my stepson, Brandon Blackstock, was precious,” McEntire said, her voice steady but laced with emotion. “I absolutely loved that child.” The conversation, which comes nearly three months after his passing, offers a poignant window into McEntire’s enduring role as a maternal figure, even after her 2015 divorce from Brandon’s father, Narvel Blackstock – a testament to the ties that outlast titles like “step” or “ex.”

Brandon’s death on August 7, 2025, sent ripples through the country music world, where he was known as a savvy talent manager and producer who repped stars like his ex-wife, Kelly Clarkson. The announcement, confirmed by a family spokesperson, revealed he had fought the aggressive skin cancer quietly, surrounded by loved ones at his home in Nashville. McEntire, who was listed as his stepmother in the obituary, broke her silence days later with a touching Instagram post on August 12, sharing photos of the two together and writing, “Last week, my stepson/oldest son Brandon Blackstock went home to be with God. His struggle is over and he is in eternal peace in God’s presence. Yes we will miss him so much 💔💔🙏💔❤️❤️❤️🙏💔.” The post, which garnered over 500,000 likes, captured the depth of her grief, but in the PEOPLE sit-down, she delved deeper, reminiscing about the boy who entered her life at age 4 and grew into a man she cherished like her own.

McEntire’s connection to Brandon began in 1985 when she started dating Narvel Blackstock, a music manager who would become her husband in 1989 and business partner at Starstruck Entertainment. Brandon, born in 1977 to Narvel and his first wife, Elisa Gayle Ritter, was just a toddler when the couple met. “He came into my life, I guess he was 4 years old,” McEntire recalled. “Then when Narvel and I got married, he was 13, 14. Along with his mom and dad, I helped raise him, along with [stepdaughters] Shawna and Chassidy. They were my kids.” She painted vivid pictures of family life in their Nashville home, where Brandon’s mischievous streak shone brightest. “He was always pulling pranks,” she said with a fond smile, recounting how he’d hide in the office at Starstruck, jumping out to scare employees like the unflappable Penny Chubb on her way to the restroom. “I’d be sitting at my desk and I’d see Penny walk by, going to the ladies’ room – and then here comes Brandon,” McEntire shared, her eyes twinkling at the memory. “He could make anyone laugh – that was his gift.”

Those lighthearted tales underscore the authenticity of their bond, one that endured beyond the 2015 divorce from Narvel after 26 years of marriage. McEntire has long emphasized that family isn’t defined by legal ties. In a 2021 Entertainment Tonight interview, amid Brandon’s high-profile divorce from Clarkson, she affirmed, “Brandon’s been my son forever, it seems. Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total – my blood.” Even as she navigated her own split and the subsequent media storm around Brandon and Clarkson’s 2020 breakup – which McEntire addressed with grace, saying, “You know, I love them both… I hope they’re happy and healthy and pull through this” – she remained a steadfast supporter. At the 2025 Emmy Awards on September 14, McEntire updated Entertainment Tonight on Brandon’s children – Seth, 18, Savannah, 16, River Rose, 10, and Remmy, 7 – noting how they’re “bonding together and hanging out with each other” in the wake of their loss. “They’re doing well,” she said, adding that the family misses him “every minute.”

Brandon’s life was a tapestry of achievements tinged with personal trials. As a key player at Starstruck, he managed talents like Clarkson, whose career he helped propel from American Idol winner to daytime TV empress. Their marriage in 2013 produced four children, but ended amid a bitter $1.3 million settlement in 2022, with Clarkson accusing him of emotional abuse in court filings. Brandon, who also battled seizures that contributed to his health decline, kept his cancer fight private until the end, focusing on family time. His brother, Shelby Blackstock, announced the news on Instagram on August 8, writing, “Words cannot begin to capture the tremendous loss our family has endured. Yesterday, we lost a brother, a father, a grandfather, and a son. Brandon Blackstock was an irreplaceable part of our family – funny, bright, and full of life – and he will be deeply missed.” McEntire commented on the post, “Yes we will miss him so much,” her words a quiet echo of collective sorrow.

The interview arrives as McEntire herself marks a season of reflection and renewal. At 70, she’s busier than ever: hosting NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” on December 3, her first time in the role, where she’ll perform holiday hits from her gold-certified My Kind of Christmas album. She’s also starring in the second season of her sitcom Happy’s Place, premiering November 7 on NBC, and coaching on The Voice season 28, where she recently choked up saving a contestant during blind auditions. Personally, she’s engaged to actor Rex Linn since Christmas Eve 2024, and the couple’s low-key romance provides a steady counterpoint to her grief. “We love to laugh, and we love each other,” she told US Weekly earlier this year of their bond.

McEntire’s openness about loss isn’t new – she’s channeled personal pain into anthems like “The Greatest Man I Never Knew,” a tribute to her late father, and navigated the 1991 plane crash that claimed eight band members with grace. “Grief is love with nowhere to go,” she quoted in the PEOPLE piece, a line that resonates amid her words for Brandon. Fans have flooded her socials with support, sharing stories of how her music pulled them through dark times. One X user posted, “Reba’s strength is why she’s the Queen – loving through loss like that? Iconic.” As she prepares for a holiday season tinged with absence, McEntire’s vulnerability serves as a balm, reminding us that even legends lean on family – blood or chosen – to weather the storms.

For the Blackstock clan, healing unfolds in quiet ways: Shelby, a racecar driver, and his wife Marissa hosted a family gathering in Houston last month, where McEntire joined for a rodeo outing, swapping stories under the lights. Brandon’s kids, resilient amid their dad’s legacy, continue to thrive – Savannah in dance classes, River Rose in school plays – a quiet victory McEntire celebrates. “They were my kids,” she reiterated, her voice firm. In a world of fleeting spotlights, McEntire’s interview is a steady flame: proof that love, once given, echoes eternal, prankster spirit and all.