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Reba McEntire shares rare, personal insight into marriage to ex before $47.5 million divorce

Reba is now dating Rex Linn

TODAY -- Pictured: Reba McEntire on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 -- (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
ReporterLos Angeles
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Reba McEntire has offered a rare insight into her former marriage to Narval Blackstock, admitting that their 26 years together was "work all the time". 

Appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show, Reba admitted that having a marriage with your business partner can "work for some people" but acknowledged that "it was a situation that was always business". 

Watch Reba McEntire share personal insight into working with her former husband

"I think it works for some people. They can be married or have a relationship and work together. Our work was all the time," Reba said. "Our marriage was 26 years. We started out working together in the band. He was part of the band, and then became my manager, later on then my husband, but it was a situation that was always business – whether we were getting ready in the morning, pillow talk, whatever, but it was business." 

"Even when we were on vacation to recharge the batteries about three days into a vacation it was like, 'you know what we can do?'" she continued. 

Producer Narvel Blackstock (L) and wife Reba McEntire in 2015© Larry Busacca/ACM2015
Producer Narvel Blackstock (L) and wife Reba McEntire in 2015

Reba, who is reportedly worth a whopping $95 million, later had an amicable split with Narval, but the settlement costs the country stars millions of dollars, as he walked away with $47.5 million. They called time on their marriage in 2015. 

Their joint statement after their divorce read: "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." 

Drew Barrymore and Reba McEntire sit on a red couch and cuddle each other© Drew Barrymore Show
Drew Barrymore and Reba McEntire

Reba and Narval have one child together, son Shelby, 35, and Reba admitted that she "almost passed out" when she saw her son racing in Daytona but that it was important to "trust them to follow their passion". 

"It just killed me when Shelby ran in Daytona, he came around that corner and all I could see was my little baby's face in that helmet. I had to sit down, I almost passed out. But you gotta let them follow their dreams. Mama did," she shared. 

Narvel also has three children from a previous marriage including Brandon Blackstock, who was married to Kelly Clarkson until they divorced in 2020.

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