Kelly Clarkson’s late ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, was dating the singer’s former assistant when he died at age 48.
Blackstock, who died Thursday after a three-year battle with melanoma, was “building a life” with Brittney Marie Jones when he passed away, his newly published obituary states.
Jones worked as Clarkson’s production assistant in Nashville from 2016 to 2018, according to her LinkedIn page. She then became an executive assistant to Blackstock, though she still “assistant managed day to day artist schedule for Kelly Clarkson” and was based in Los Angeles for The Kelly Clarkson Show until 2020, her profile states.
Clarkson, 43, filed for divorce from Blackstock, who also acted as her manager, in June 2020, after nearly seven years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
That same month, Jones became an executive assistant for V Bar B Cattle Co., a Montana ranch owned by Blackstock, according to her profile, which still lists her in that position.
Blackstock’s obituary states, “After more than 20 years in the music business, Brandon found his way back to the mountains and the cowboy way of life he always wanted to live. He found a homestead and a love in Butte, Montana.”
“Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones, started building a life, building companies,” the obit continues.
It made no mention of Clarkson—who shared two children, River and Remington, with Blackstock—nor his first wife, Melissa Ashworth, the mother of his two older kids, Savannah and Seth. However, the obit remembered him as a “devoted father,” noting, “His four children were and will always be his greatest love and his greatest legacy.”
Jones was previously married to drummer Greg Goose LaPoint, the Daily Mail reported, citing wedding photos posted to Jones’ Facebook page in September 2021. It’s unclear when the pair separated.
Blackstock and Clarkson became involved in a bruising legal battle after Clarkson filed for divorce. The Since U Been Gone singer was granted primary custody of their children and sought to evict him from their $17 million Montana property, which a judge had awarded solely to her.
Blackstock purchased a $1.8 million ranch in Butte, Montana shortly after, according to Us Weekly, and renamed his cattle ranching business the same year.
As part of the divorce settlement, Clarkson was ordered to pay Blackstock a one-time sum of $1.3 million along with $45,000 per month in child support, according to People.
Later, in November 2023, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock had overstepped his role as Clarkson’s manager. He was ordered to repay her $2.6 million, but the exes later settled their lawsuits.
Clarkson spoke candidly about the divorce on an episode of Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast in 2023.
“It rips you apart,” she said. “Whenever you fall in love with someone and it doesn’t work.” She noted that the “hardest part” was that “it wasn’t an overnight decision.”
Despite the acrimonious split, Clarkson took a leave from her talk show earlier this year to help care for Blackstock, multiple sources told Page Six.
The evening before his death, she abruptly canceled the remaining August shows for her Las Vegas residency, telling fans on Instagram, “This past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them.”
Blackstock died of melanoma, which is the most invasive form of skin cancer with the highest risk of death, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
