Kelly Clarkson’s former assistant seemingly moved to Montana to work with “soulmate” Brandon Blackstock the same month as his divorce from the American Idol alum.
Amid the news that Blackstock was dating his ex-wife’s former assistant before his August 7 death, more details are emerging about his relationship with the woman, who has been identified as Brittney Marie Jones.
More from SheKnows
Jones’ identity was revealed in an obituary for Blackstock which referred to her as his “loving partner in life and business.” Her father also posted a tribute to Blackstock on Facebook calling him his “daughter’s soulmate.”
According to Jones’ LinkedIn profile, and as reported by People, her job moved from Nashville to Montana, where Blackstock and Clarkson lived, in June 2020, which is the same month the 40-year-old singer filed for divorce after seven years of marriage.
Jones was already working with the former couple by the time the Montana move happened. She began working as a production assistant for Clarkson in December 2016. Then, in 2018, Jones became an executive assistant at Blackstock’s Starstuck Entertainment in Nashville, his talent agency that represented Clarkson at the time.
Per her LinkedIn, Jones managed Clarkson and Blackstock’s schedules and assisted on LA set of The Kelly Clarkson Show until the couple divorced. At that time, per LinkedIn, Jones’ job changed to executive assistant at V Bar V Cattle Co., which is Blackstock and Clarkson’s Montana ranch.
At the time of their divorce, a source told People, “It just came out of nowhere. Their marriage was so strong.” Meanwhile, other insiders speculated that issues in their marriage were worsened by quarantining together in Montana.
The ranch, which was formerly known as Vintage Valley Ranch, became the source of a legal back and forth between Clarkson and Blackstock after she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Clarkson sought to have her ex evicted from the property so she could sell but it was eventually established, in 2022, that Blackstock had a 5% stake in the ranch.
Blackstock later purchased his own ranch in Butte, Montana in 2022. Blackstock and Clarkson’s divorce was finalized that same year.
An obituary for the talent-manager-turned-rancher spoke about Blackstock and Jones’ work together. “Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones, started building a life, building companies, and working tirelessly to create Headwaters Livestock Auction and what will live on as his legacy, The Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana,” it read.
Both of these companies were launched in 2023.
Blackstock died on August 7 at the age of 48 after a three-year battle with skin cancer. In addition to his two children with Clarkson, daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9, he was also a father to another daughter Savannah, 23, and son Seth, 18, who he shares with ex-wife Melissa Ashworth.
Before you go, click here to see Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock’s relationship in photos.
Best of SheKnows
Sign up for SheKnows’ Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
