Country singer Reba McEntire and her husband, Narvel Blackstock, have decided to go their separate ways after 26 years of marriage. The Associated Press is reporting that the pair have been separated for some time, and they released a joint statement on Monday.
“Despite this being the end of their marriage, they continue to support each other. They have worked together for 35 years and will continue to do so. They have asked that you respect their privacy during this time.”
McEntire and Blackstock have one child together, 25-year-old Shelby Blackstock.
Reba has been a fixture on the country music scene since since the early 1980s. She has had 25 number one singles on the Billboard country chart. She has appeared in several movies and had her own show on the WB, which lasted six seasons. McEntire has also appeared on Broadway as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun .
Blackstock used to play steel guitar in Reba’s band and now works as a talent manager. His stable of performers includes Kelly Clarkson, who is married to Blackstock’s son from a previous marriage, and Blake Shelton, who as reported on earlier at the Inquisitr recently split from his wife, Miranda Lambert. Blackstock will remain as McEntire’s manager.
Reba has been keeping quite busy recently. She released a new album, Love Somebody , in April and is now on tour. She is preparing to drop a new single on Wednesday and tweeted about it today.
New single announcement coming Wednesday! Here’s a clue… pic.twitter.com/sjBtSxzRJW
— Reba McEntire (@reba) August 3, 2015
Reba told People Magazine back in March that she was missing her husband as the two worked on different ends of the country.
“[He] told me he loved me last night when we talked on the phone. He’s in Los Angeles on business and I’m taking care of business here in Nashville. I miss him when we’re apart. We never leave each other without a kiss and ‘I love you.’”
This was the second marriage for Reba McEntire. She was married to Charlie Battles, a steer wrestling champion, and divorced him after 11 years of marriage. The couple had no children.
[Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]