Brittney Marie Jones: How did Kelly Clarkson’s ex-assistant become Brandon Blackstock’s final love?
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock
Brandon Blackstock, the former music manager and ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, was in a relationship with Clarkson’s one-time production assistant at the time of his death on August 7.
According to People, Blackstock’s obituary described Brittney Marie Jones as his “beautiful and loving partner in life and business.” Jones, whose LinkedIn profile shows she worked as Clarkson’s production assistant in Nashville between 2016 and 2018, later transitioned to working directly with Blackstock in December 2018 as an executive management assistant. At the time, she continued coordinating Clarkson’s day-to-day artist schedule.
In June 2020 — the same month Clarkson filed for divorce — Jones became an executive assistant at V Bar B Cattle Co., Blackstock’s Montana-based ranch. Together, the pair built multiple ventures, including Headwaters Livestock Auction and the Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana, projects that Blackstock’s obituary says will stand as part of his legacy.
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Tributes poured in following his passing, including a heartfelt message from Jones’ father, Larry, on Facebook. “Yesterday we lost a good man, Brandon Blackstock,” he wrote, calling him his daughter’s “soulmate” and noting that he considered Blackstock as a son. “We’re sure going to miss your funny humor. R.I.P hoss!”
Blackstock was married to Clarkson from 2013 until their separation in 2020. The couple, who finalized their divorce in 2022, share two children — River, 11, and Remington, 9. He also had two older children, Savannah, 23, and Seth, 18, from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth.
In a 2023 conversation on Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast, Clarkson reflected on the difficulty of the split. “It rips you apart,” she admitted, describing the years-long process of trying to make the relationship work. “I wanted to make it beautiful… Sometimes that just doesn’t happen.”
Blackstock died at the age of 48 following a three-year battle with melanoma, a form of skin cancer. His family said in a statement shared with People that he “passed away peacefully… surrounded by family,” and asked for privacy during the difficult time.
