Elisa Gayle Ritter is Narvel Blackstock’s first wife and the mother of their three children, Shawna, Brandon, and Chassidy. She is sometimes confused with Narvel’s second wife, Reba McEntire, because photographs of McEntire have appeared in online searches under Ritter’s name.
Ritter and McEntire are two different women who married Blackstock at different times. Ritter’s marriage ended in 1988, while McEntire married him in 1989.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elisa Gayle Ritter |
| Later recorded name | Elisa Gayle Ritter Gilbert |
| Former husband | Narvel Blackstock |
| Marriage | 1973–1988 |
| Children | Shawna Rene, Brandon and Chassidy Celeste Blackstock |
| Connection to Reba McEntire | They married Narvel Blackstock at different times |
Why Elisa Gayle Ritter Is Confused With Reba McEntire
The confusion arose because searches for Elisa Gayle Ritter began displaying recognizable photographs of Reba McEntire. Some websites and social-media posts then presented those images as pictures of Ritter.
An iHeartMedia report discussed the mix-up in May 2021 after a comparison circulated online. The report questioned why apparent photographs of McEntire appeared in results for Ritter, but it did not authenticate those pictures as images of Ritter.
Their shared connection to Narvel Blackstock may help explain how the error developed. Ritter was his first wife, and McEntire became his second wife after his marriage to Ritter ended. Consequently, their names appear in some of the same family histories and articles.
No reliable evidence indicates that Ritter and McEntire are the same person or related. Claims that they look remarkably alike are also unreliable when the photographs being compared may show McEntire in both cases. A picture should not be identified as Ritter without a dependable original caption, photo-agency record, or confirmed family source.
Elisa Gayle Ritter and Narvel Blackstock Were Married for 15 Years
Ritter married Narvel Blackstock in 1973. They remained married for 15 years and had three children before divorcing in 1988.
Blackstock married McEntire on June 3, 1989. Their marriage lasted 26 years before they divorced in 2015. The chronology makes the distinction clear:
- Ritter was married to Blackstock from 1973 to 1988.
- McEntire married Blackstock in 1989, after divorcing Ritter.
- The two marriages did not overlap.
Ritter’s identity is therefore connected to McEntire through their separate marriages to Blackstock, not through a family relationship or a shared identity.
Ritter and Blackstock Had Three Children
Elisa Gayle Ritter and Narvel Blackstock had their daughter, Shawna Rene Blackstock, in 1973. Their son, Brandon Blackstock, was born in 1976, followed by their younger daughter, Chassidy Celeste Blackstock, in 1978.
After Blackstock married McEntire, she became stepmother to Shawna, Brandon, and Chassidy. McEntire continued to describe the three as her children even after her divorce from their father.
Brandon later became the father of four children: Savannah, Seth, River and Remington. Through him, Ritter became their paternal grandmother.
Brandon Blackstock’s Obituary Identified Her as Elisa Gayle Ritter Gilbert
Brandon Blackstock died from cancer at age 48 on August 7, 2025. His family said he had lived with the illness for more than three years and died peacefully while surrounded by relatives.
His obituary, published on August 13, 2025, identified his parents as Narvel Wayne Blackstock and Elisa Gayle Ritter Gilbert. This records a longer version of Ritter’s name while connecting her directly to the same family documented in earlier reporting.
The obituary also listed Brandon’s siblings and children. It provides a recent public record distinguishing Ritter, his mother, from McEntire, his former stepmother.
What Is Reliably Known About Elisa Gayle Ritter
Elisa Gayle Ritter was Narvel Blackstock’s first wife and the mother of Shawna, Brandon, and Chassidy Blackstock. Her documented public identity comes primarily from this family connection rather than an independent public career.
The photographs commonly associated with her online require greater caution. Images of Reba McEntire should not be presented as photographs of Ritter unless their source independently confirms the identification. The verified marriage timeline and family records establish that Elisa Gayle Ritter and Reba McEntire are separate women.