Reba McEntire Opens Up About Divorce From Narvel Blackstock, Says She β€œWas Scared To Death”

Reba McEntireΒ has always been known as one of the toughest and most iconic voices in country music. But even legends face heartbreak. The country superstar recently revealed just how devastating herΒ divorce from Narvel BlackstockΒ was β€” both personally and professionally.

Reba McEntire And Narvel Blackstock Divorced In 2015

Reba and Narvel were married forΒ 26 years, tying the knot in 1989. Narvel was not only her husband but also her longtimeΒ talent manager, making their split in 2015 even more complicated.

In a new interview withΒ EsquireΒ published onΒ September 16, 2025, Reba shared how frightening that transition was.

She admitted:

β€œMy manager was my husband from 1989 to 2015. Everybody took care of everything. All I had to do was get up and sing. When that dissolved, all that team went with him, and I was scared to death. I was deserted, abandoned, and left. I threw a fit. And then there they were, my angels, right there beside me. β€˜Hey, you’re learning. You didn’t know how much a gallon of milk was, now you do. Now get out there. You can do it. You’re tough. We taught you better.’”

This candid confession shows how deeply the split shook her. Losing both her marriage and her management team overnight forced Reba to rebuild her life from the ground up.

Family Ties And Tragedy

Reba and Narvel share one son together,Β Shelby Blackstock, born in 1990. Narvel also has three children from his first marriage to Elisa Gayle Ritter: Shawna, Chassidy, andΒ Brandon Blackstock.

Reba has always spoken warmly about her stepchildren, and she remained close to them even after her divorce.

Sadly, theΒ Blackstock familyΒ suffered a heartbreaking loss this year.Β Brandon Blackstock, best known as a talent manager and former husband ofΒ Kelly Clarkson, passed away onΒ August 7, 2025, after a private battle with cancer.

Reba McEntire Opens Up About Divorce From Narvel Blackstock, Says She "Was Scared To Death"

Reba honored him in a touching tribute, writing:

β€œLast 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. There is no one else like him, and I’m thankful for the time we had together. His legacy and laughter will be carried on through his family. Rest in peace cowboy. Happy trails to you til we meet again.”

Brandon left behind four children, including River and Remington, whom he shared with Clarkson.

Reba McEntire Found Love Again

Despite these hardships, Reba has found happiness again with actorΒ Rex Linn. The two first met while filming Kenny Rogers’ movieΒ The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw. They stayed in touch over the years, but it wasn’t untilΒ January 2020Β that their friendship turned romantic.

Since then, they’ve been inseparable, often referring to each other as β€œThe Tots” (a nod to Reba’s love for tater tots). They’ve worked together on several projects, includingΒ The Hammer,Β Big Sky, andΒ Happy’s Place.

OnΒ September 14, 2025, at theΒ Primetime Emmy Awards, Reba and Rex revealed they are officiallyΒ engaged. Her representative later confirmed the happy news toΒ Country Rebel.

Meanwhile, Narvel Blackstock has also moved on and remarried. He andΒ Laura StroudΒ exchanged vows in 2024.

A Story Of Strength And Resilience

Reba McEntire’s divorceΒ from Narvel Blackstock may have left her β€œscared to death,” but she turned that fear into strength. From rebuilding her career to finding love again, Reba continues to prove why she is not only aΒ country music iconΒ but also a symbol of resilience and hope.