Dolly Parton has shared her advice on dealing with grief following the death of Brandon Blackstock, the ex-husband of her friend and fellow artist Kelly Clarkson.
Blackstock died from melanoma, a form of skin cancer, aged 48 on Thursday 7 August.
The news came a day after Clarkson announced that she was postponing the remaining shows in her Las Vegas residency to be with her two children, whom she shared with Blackstock.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Parton – whose husband of almost 59 years, Carl Dean, died in March – was asked if she had any advice for Clarkson on navigating such a difficult time.
“Well, I think that you just had to be grateful for the years that you’ve had with someone, and you just try to remember the very best of all that, take the energy they’d given you then, and just kind of recycle that, and let that become a part of you,” the country music legend responded.
“And just honour their memory and remember they’re in a better place than we are, these days.”
In May, Parton said that her faith had been a source of strength following the loss of Carl.
“I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday,” she told the Associated Press.
“And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we’ve built together. You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans – but that’s the hardest part.”
A representative for Blackstock’s family said in a statement last week: “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.“
Blackstock’s diagnosis had been kept private until the time of his death.
He and Clarkson were married for seven years before separating in June 2020.
In a eulogy posted online, it was revealed that he had a “beautiful and loving partner”, Brittney Marie Jones, with whom he had been “building a life”.
The tribute also said that “nothing mattered to Brandon more than his four beautiful children, Savannah, Seth, River, and Remy”.
“He was a devoted father,” the statement said. “His four children were and always will be his greatest love and his greatest legacy.”
Blackstock shared Savannah, 23, and Seth, 18, with his first wife, Melissa Wells, whom he was married to between 1999 to 2012.
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