Just weeks before her father's death, Savannah Blackstock Lee (23) announced that she is expecting a baby girl. Savannah is the daughter of talent manager and ex-husband to Kelly Clarkson, Brandon Blackstock, who just passed away from cancer. Although she seemed overjoyed a few weeks ago, her family is probably dealing with a lot of mixed emotions right now.
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In July, Blackstock shared that she and her husband, Quentin Lee, are expecting to add a member to their family soon. On her now private Instagram, she shared, "One little girl will be making her arrival at the beginning of January, and another beautiful girl named Julianna, who has already been one of the greatest blessings to our family."
Savannah is the daughter of Brandon Blackstock and Melissa Ashworth, with whom he was married when he met Clarkson. In 2006, the two first connected at the ACMs, and would eventually marry and divorce. This would become the subject of a lengthy and contentious legal battle that dominated the news for years.
Who Was Brandon Blackstock?
Brandon Blackstock, who passed away at 48, was a talent manager for artists like Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts. He also managed Kelly Clarkson from 2017 to 2020, when the two divorced after being married since 2013. Clarkson cited that the divorce was due to "irreconcilable differences," and fought for the custody of their children. Still, the couple remained cordial in public because Clarkson didn't want the kids to have to deal with something messy.
Although Blackstock had been battling cancer for three years, his illness wasn't made public until just yesterday. Clarkson announced via Instagram that she was cancelling tour dates in Las Vegas due to a family matter. She wanted to ensure she could be there for her children during their father's passing, and apologized to fans.
Blackstock and Clarkson's children, River Rose and Remy Alexander, are 11 and 9 years old. After only a month of marriage, Clarkson tweeted that she and Blackstock were expecting River Rose, the "best early Christmas present ever." A source told People that Clarkson has "been devastated" for her children at the death of their father. They also noted that "when she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake."
Kelly Clarkson's Recent Absences From Her Show Were the Result of Blackstock's Illness
That explains why, earlier this year, the singer cancelled multiple episodes of The Kelly Clarkson Show because of Blackstock's illness. It looks like she might be taking some more time off, based on the recent news of Blackstock's death.
A family member of Blackstock's shared, "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."
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