Elisa Gayle Ritter is an American TV and music producer, best known as the first wife of Music manager Narvel Blackstock and former mother-in-law to Kelly Clarkson. Due to a striking resemblance, she is often confused with country music star Reba McEntire, who is also Narvel Blackstock’s ex-wife.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Elisa Gayle married music manager and TV producer Narvel Blackstock in 1973 when they were teenagers.
- She shares three children with her ex-husband: Brandon Blackstock, Chassidy Celeste, and Shawna Rene.
- Elisa and Narvel divorced in 1988 after 15 years of marriage.
- Elisa has been married to Daniel Gilbert since 1989.
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Profile summary
|
Full name |
Elisa Gayle Ritter |
|
Gender |
Female |
|
Date of birth |
6 January 1956 |
|
Age |
69 years old (as of 2025) |
|
Zodiac sign |
Capricorn |
|
Place of birth |
Tarrant County, Texas, United States |
|
Nationality |
|
|
Ethnicity |
White |
|
Religion |
|
|
Sexuality |
Straight |
|
Height in feet |
5’8″ |
|
Height in centimetres |
173 |
|
Weight in pounds |
116 |
|
Weight in kilograms |
53 |
|
Hair colour |
Blonde |
|
Eye colour |
Light brown |
|
Marital status |
|
|
Spouse |
Daniel Gilbert |
|
3 |
|
|
Profession |
TV producer |
Elisa Gayle Ritter’s biography
Elisa Gayle was born on 6 January 1956 in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. She is an American national of white ethnicity. Ritter has lived a private life; details about her family and siblings are not publicly known.
Source: Original
From television to music management
Elisa Gayle Ritter is a TV and music producer. Her professional career includes a reported role at a company known as Yankee.
Ritter’s public profile rose significantly following her marriage to music manager Narvel Blackstock.
During their marriage, she reportedly worked alongside him in managing country music icons, including Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson.
Inside Elisa Gayle Ritter and Narvel Blackstock’s relationship
Ritter married Narvel Blackstock in 1973. Both were reportedly 16 years old at the time. Narvel, who started his career as a guitarist in Reba McEntire’s band before becoming her manager, divorced Ritter in 1988 after 15 years of marriage.
Source: UGC
According to her social media accounts, Ritter is now married to Daniel Gilbert. The two tied the knot in August 1989. Ritter posted a photo of the two celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary in Jackson Hole.
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Blackstock went on to marry country music legend Reba McEntire in 1989. They had one son, Shelby, before divorcing in 2015 after 26 years of marriage. Narvel is married to Reba’s friend, Laura Putty Stroud, a real estate agent.
Meet Elisa Gayle Ritter’s children
Elisa Gayle and Narvel Blackstock had three children during their 15-year marriage. They have a son named Brandon Blackstock and two daughters, Chassidy Celeste and Shawna Rene.
Source: UGC
Shawna Rene Blackstock is the eldest child of Elisa Ritter and Narvel Blackstock. She was born in 1973 and is 52 years old as of 2025. Shawna stays out of the spotlight, choosing a private life.
Chassidy Celeste Blackstock is the second child of Blackstock and Ritter. She was born on 14 November 1978 and is 47 years old as of 2025. Like her older sister, she’s stayed out of the public eye.
Brandon Blackstock was born on 16 December 1976 in Fort Worth, Texas. Like his father, he became a talent manager, working with talented country music singers like Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts.
Source: Getty Images
Brandon married singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson in 2013, and they had two children: daughter River Rose and son Remington “Remy” Alexander. Before Clarkson, Brandon was married to Melissa Ashworth, and they had two children: a daughter named Savannah and a son named Seth.
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The Stronger singer filed for divorce from Blackstock in 2020. They continued parenting until he passed away from cancer on 7 August 2025 at age 48.
Elisa Gayle Ritter’s confusion with Reba McEntire
Source: UGC
Many people have confused Elisa Ritter with country singer and TV personality Reba McEntire. The two look alike and were married to the same man, Narvel Blackstock, at different times. Despite the confusion, Elisa Ritter is a different person from Rena Reba McEntire.
FAQs
- Who is Elisa Gayle Ritter? She is an American TV producer, best known as the first wife of Narvel Blackstock.
- What is Elisa Gayle Ritter’s age? As of December 2025, Ritter is 69 years old. She was born on 6 January 1956.
- Who are Elisa Gayle Ritter’s parents? Elisa’s parents are not publicly known.
- Who are Elisa Gayle Ritter’s siblings? The TV producer has kept her family life private, and it is not known whether she has siblings.
- How many children does Elisa Gayle Ritter have? Elisa has three children: Chassidy Celeste, Shawna Rene, and Brandon Blackstock.
- What happened to Brandon Blackstock? Brandon passed away from cancer on 7 August 2025.
- Is Elisa Gayle Ritter related to John Ritter? The two are not related. John is an American actor.
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Elisa Gayle Ritter maintains a private life, which has led to persistent confusion with country singer Reba McEntire. While the two look alike and were both married to Narvel Blackstock, Ritter remains a distinct figure in her production career and her connection to the Blackstock family.
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