First it was a working relationship, then a friendship and finally love. In 1989, on a boat in Lake Tahoe, Reba McEntire exchanged marriage vows with Narvel Blackstock, her manager and former steel guitar player. She and Blackstock began working together in 1980, when she was a rising young singer hailing from Oklahoma and he was in her band.
McEntire is vocal about her respect for her husband, saying that he is the one who inspires her the most. Together they have a son, Shelby, and the fiery-haired singer gained three stepchildren from their marriage. Additionally, they have Kelly Clarkson as a daughter-in-law (she married Brandon Blackstock in October 2013) and an adorable granddaughter, River Rose.
McEntire adds, “We highly respect each other. We like each other. We love each other, but that respect has to be there. I respect his judgment, and he respects mine. We respect each other. I think that is one of the strongest things in a relationship. You have to have respect for each other.”
McEntire was attracted to a Blackstock’s professionalism: “He was a very classy man and very organized and had great ideas,” she explains. “He’s always looking ahead and always thinking. He’s a great leader.”
Originally Featured on The Boot.
