Elisa Gayle Ritter is an American woman best known as the first wife of music manager Narvel Blackstock and the mother of the late talent manager Brandon Blackstock. She and Narvel were married for about 15 years and had three children: Shawna Rene, Brandon, and Chassidy Celeste.
After their divorce in 1988, Elisa married Daniel Gilbert in 1989. She has also received attention because she is often confused online with Narvel’s second wife, country singer Reba McEntire.
Elisa Gayle Ritter’s Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elisa Gayle Ritter |
| Also known as | Elisa Gayle Ritter-Gilbert, Elisa Gilbert |
| Date of birth | January 6, 1956 |
| Age | 70 years old as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | Tarrant County, Texas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Reportedly worked in TV and music production |
| First husband | Narvel Blackstock |
| First marriage | 1973–1988 |
| Current husband | Daniel Gilbert |
| Marriage to Daniel | August 1989 |
| Children | Shawna Rene, Brandon, and Chassidy Celeste Blackstock |
| Son | Brandon Blackstock, who died in 2025 |
| Known for | Narvel Blackstock’s first wife and Brandon Blackstock’s mother |
| Social media | Reported Facebook presence |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Elisa Gayle Ritter Was Born in Texas
Elisa Gayle Ritter was reportedly born on January 6, 1956, in Tarrant County, Texas.
She is 70 years old as of 2026 and is an American national.
Very little is publicly known about her childhood. Her parents have not been publicly identified, and there is no reliable information about whether she has siblings.
Her Education Is Not Publicly Known
There is no reliable public information about Elisa’s education.
Her schools, college education, and professional training have not been clearly documented.
What Does Elisa Gayle Ritter Do?
Elisa has often been described online as a TV producer, music producer, manager, and entertainment industry worker.
One newer report connects her with a company called Yankee. Older biographies also claim she worked with Narvel Blackstock in the music business.
However, detailed records of Elisa’s professional career are limited.
Some websites claim that Elisa personally worked with artists such as Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, and Blake Shelton. These claims should be treated carefully because they may have been confused with Narvel Blackstock’s well-documented career as a music manager.
It is therefore safer to say Elisa has been reported to have worked in television and music production, while the exact details of her career are not well documented.
Elisa Has Also Been Described as a Designer and Co-Pastor
Elisa’s husband, Daniel Gilbert, has reportedly described her on social media as a cowgirl, designer, manager, co-pastor, wife, and mother.
These descriptions provide some information about her later life but are not formal employment records.
Elisa Gayle Ritter Married Narvel Blackstock as a Teenager
Elisa married Narvel Blackstock in March 1973.
One source gives their wedding date as March 30, 1973.
Some online biographies say Elisa was 16 when she married. However, based on her reported birth date of January 6, 1956, she would have been 17 years old in March 1973.
Narvel was also young and beginning his music career.
Who Is Narvel Blackstock?
Narvel Blackstock is an American music manager and television producer.
He began his career as a musician, playing steel guitar, before moving into artist management.
Narvel later became closely connected with country singer Reba McEntire, both professionally and personally. His business career also included Starstruck Entertainment, which worked with major music artists.
He is the father of Elisa’s three children.
Elisa and Narvel Had Three Children
Elisa and Narvel became parents to three children during their marriage:
- Shawna Rene Blackstock
- Brandon Blackstock
- Chassidy Celeste Blackstock
Their daughters have generally maintained private lives, while Brandon followed his father into the entertainment management business.
Shawna Rene Blackstock
Shawna Rene Blackstock is Elisa and Narvel’s eldest child.
She was reportedly born in 1973.
Shawna has stayed largely outside the public eye. A newer report says she is married to Jason Slade Meyers.
There is little reliable public information about her career or other personal details.
Brandon Blackstock
Brandon Blackstock was born on December 16, 1976, in Fort Worth, Texas.
He became a talent manager and followed a career similar to his father’s. Brandon worked with Starstruck Entertainment and was connected professionally with artists including Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts, and Kelly Clarkson.
He also became involved in ranching. One source reports that he founded Valley View Rodeo, a rodeo production company in Montana.
Brandon became the most publicly known of Elisa’s three children.
Brandon Blackstock’s First Marriage and Children
Brandon was first married to Melissa Ashworth.
Reports place their marriage between approximately 2001 and 2012.
They had two children:
- Savannah Blackstock, born in June 2002
- Seth Blackstock, born in November 2006
This made Elisa a grandmother.
Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson
Brandon later married American singer Kelly Clarkson.
They married in October 2013 at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.
Brandon and Kelly had two children:
- River Rose Blackstock, born in June 2014
- Remington “Remy” Alexander Blackstock, born in April 2016
Kelly filed for divorce in June 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in March 2022.
Because of their marriage, Elisa became known publicly as Kelly Clarkson’s former mother-in-law.
Brandon Blackstock Died in 2025
Brandon Blackstock died on August 7, 2025, at age 48.
His death followed a battle with cancer.
Brandon was Elisa’s only son.
Chassidy Celeste Blackstock
Chassidy Celeste Blackstock is Elisa and Narvel’s younger daughter.
She was reportedly born on November 14, 1978.
Like Shawna, Chassidy has mostly stayed away from public attention.
A newer report says she has been married to Scott Standefer since 2000.
Elisa and Narvel Divorced in 1988
Elisa and Narvel’s marriage lasted about 15 years.
Their divorce was reportedly finalized in March 1988.
Reliable details about why they separated have not been made public.
Narvel married Reba McEntire the following year.
Elisa Married Daniel Gilbert in 1989
Elisa also remarried after her divorce.
She married Daniel Gilbert in August 1989.
Newer information about Elisa shows that she and Daniel have remained together for more than three decades.
This corrects some older online biographies that suggested Elisa did not publicly enter another relationship after divorcing Narvel.
Elisa and Daniel Gilbert’s Marriage
Elisa and Daniel have occasionally shared parts of their family life through Facebook.
In August 2022, Daniel marked their 33rd wedding anniversary and wrote about their years together.
They later reportedly celebrated their 35th anniversary in Jackson Hole.
As of 2026, they have been married for about 37 years.
Elisa Gayle Ritter’s Grandchildren
Elisa has several grandchildren.
Four of her known grandchildren come through Brandon:
- Savannah Blackstock
- Seth Blackstock
- River Rose Blackstock
- Remington Alexander Blackstock
Her daughters also have their own family lives, so these four may not represent Elisa’s complete number of grandchildren.
Elisa Is Also a Great-Grandmother
Elisa reportedly became a great-grandmother in January 2022.
Her granddaughter Savannah welcomed a child with Quentin Lee.
A 2025 report said Savannah and Quentin were expecting another child in early 2026. The supplied information does not confirm whether that child was later born, so it should not be stated as a confirmed birth.
Reba McEntire Became Close to Elisa’s Children
After divorcing Elisa, Narvel married Reba McEntire in 1989.
Reba became the stepmother of Shawna, Brandon, and Chassidy.
She developed a close relationship with the three children. In a 2010 interview, Reba explained that she considered them part of her family rather than simply stepchildren.
Reba and Narvel also had a son together, Shelby Steven Blackstock, born in February 1990.
Shelby is the paternal half-brother of Elisa’s three children.
Elisa Gayle Ritter and Reba McEntire Are Not the Same Person
Elisa Gayle Ritter is often confused online with Reba McEntire.
They are two different people.
The confusion comes partly from their connection to Narvel Blackstock. Elisa was Narvel’s first wife, while Reba became his second wife.
Some websites and search results have also incorrectly used photographs of Reba when discussing Elisa. This has led people to believe that Elisa and Reba look almost identical or are somehow the same person.
There is no evidence that they are related.
Narvel Blackstock and Reba McEntire’s Marriage
Narvel and Reba married in 1989, about a year after his divorce from Elisa.
They had one son, Shelby.
Narvel and Reba divorced in 2015 after about 26 years of marriage.
Some older articles incorrectly give 2013 as the year their marriage ended.
Narvel Blackstock Married Laura Stroud
Narvel later married Laura Putty Stroud, a Nashville-area real estate agent.
A newer source reports that they married in April 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The same report says country singer Blake Shelton officiated their wedding.
Laura became Narvel’s third wife after Elisa and Reba.
Is Elisa Gayle Ritter Related to John Ritter?
There is no known family relationship between Elisa Gayle Ritter and actor John Ritter.
They share the same surname, but available information does not show that they were related.
Elisa Gayle Ritter’s Social Media
Elisa has been connected with Facebook accounts using names such as Elisa Gilbert.
Daniel Gilbert has also shared photographs and information about their family life on Facebook.
However, the verification status of Elisa’s reported accounts is unclear.
She otherwise maintains a relatively private public profile.
Where Is Elisa Gayle Ritter Now?
Elisa appears to live a private life with Daniel Gilbert.
Recent information about her mainly comes from family photographs and social media posts rather than television appearances or entertainment industry work.
There is no strong evidence showing that she is currently active as a television or music producer.
Elisa Gayle Ritter’s Net Worth
Elisa’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There are no confirmed financial records in the available information that establish her wealth.
Any specific figures published by biography websites should therefore be treated as estimates rather than confirmed facts.
Facts About Elisa Gayle Ritter
- Elisa Gayle Ritter was reportedly born on January 6, 1956.
- She was born in Tarrant County, Texas.
- She is 70 years old as of 2026.
- Her parents and siblings are not publicly known.
- Her education has not been publicly documented.
- She has been described as a TV and music producer, although her exact career history is unclear.
- She married Narvel Blackstock in March 1973.
- Elisa was about 17 years old based on her reported birth date.
- She and Narvel were married for around 15 years.
- They had three children: Shawna, Brandon, and Chassidy.
- Elisa and Narvel divorced in March 1988.
- She married Daniel Gilbert in August 1989.
- Elisa and Daniel have been together for more than three decades.
- Her son Brandon became a talent manager.
- Brandon was married to Kelly Clarkson from 2013 until their divorce.
- Brandon died in August 2025.
- Elisa has several grandchildren and is reportedly a great-grandmother.
- Reba McEntire became stepmother to Elisa’s three children after marrying Narvel.
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