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Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire may have sparred (kind of) on "The Voice," but offstage, they're thick as thieves. Sure, they've bickered over who truly deserves the iconic red chair, but behind the scenes, these two are nothing short of supportive pals, with both openly admiring each other's talents. Yet, when it comes to friendship, sometimes loyalties show— and Shelton's stance in McEntire's divorce from Narvel Blackstock has been telling.
Shelton and McEntire have been a powerhouse pair on "The Voice" since day one. Shelton brought McEntire on as an advisor for his team in Season 1 and then again as a mentor in Season 23. Interestingly, McEntire revealed she was offered a coaching role even before the show premiered but turned it down — only to eventually step into Shelton's shoes after he encouraged her to take the plunge. "There were lots of little times where I thought this would be a lot of fun to get to do," McEntire told NBC Insider. "When we were filming with Blake's team [in Season 23], he said, 'You really ought to come on and do this. You'd have fun.' He was really encouraging me to do it." McEntire has also described their bond as a true-blue friendship from the get-go. "It's been a friendship from the very beginning," she told the network in another interview. "We're both from Oklahoma, like, an hour apart from where we grew up. We work together. We have fun together and gone on vacations together, so it's just too much fun."
But now, it seems things might get a bit less fun for McEntire after learning that Shelton actually officiated her ex-husband's wedding to his new wife. Now, that could complicate things just a bit.
Blake was the officiant at Narvel's wedding to new wife
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True friends don't take sides, but Blake Shelton's situation is a bit unique given his close professional ties to Narvel Blackstock, who was not only Reba McEntire's ex but also Shelton's longtime manager. While Shelton and McEntire share a strong friendship, his longstanding partnership with Blackstock explains why he chose to officiate Blackstock's wedding to his new wife, Laura Stroud. Shelton's wife, Gwen Stefani, was also in attendance, along with Kelly Clarkson's kids — Clarkson herself having once been married to Blackstock's son, Brandon.
Shelton has frequently credited Blackstock as his mentor and the person who steered him toward success. Reflecting on their relationship, he once joked at his Hall of Fame ceremony, "If there's one person that I probably need to thank more than anybody from a career standpoint, Narvel Blackstock literally changed my life. He got me to take my cowboy hat off. I mean, my God... and cut my mullet," he quipped, according to Variety. "You're an a**hole for that, actually, because that's cool again. Now, I can't go back." Given that kind of bond, McEntire probably understands — she's not one to make a fuss, after all.
And why would she? McEntire has moved on and then some. She's head over heels with her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, with whom she's been in a relationship since 2020. And if it came down to it, you just might see her walk down the aisle for the third time. "If that's something he feels totally strong about, that's fine with me," she dished to E! News. "He's never been married before. So, if he wants to experience that, I'm OK with that."
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