Reba McEntire celebrates son Shelby's 34th birthday by sharing a rare photo

Country legend Reba McEntire shared a rare photo of her son, Shelby Blackstock, 34, in honor of his recent birthday.

“From the first second I found out I was pregnant, up to today, this child is one of the biggest blessings of my life,” McEntire captioned an Instagram post. "Thank you, God for letting me experience being a mama. I love you, Shelby, with all my heart mind and soul.”

In the picture, McEntire, 68, and Blackstock, a professional race car driver, are seated side-by-side at a restaurant.

“The Voice” coach has one biological child with ex-husband Narvel Blackstock and remains close with her three former stepchildren, Shawna, Chassidy and Brandon. The former couple were married for 26 years before divorcing in 2015.

In 2022, McEntire opened up to People about her parenting strategy.

“When we would play games or cards, I’d never let Shelby win,” McEntire said. “He wouldn’t have learned anything that way. I always told Shelby, ‘I’ll always love you, but I want other people to like you. So don’t be a little jerk. Don’t be a spoiled brat.’”

The singer added that Blackstock would accompany her on tours when he was a kid.

“I had the best nannies, and I took him on the road with me,” she said while speaking with People. “When I couldn’t, I would fly home after a concert, get him up in the morning, take him to school and pick him up. We’d play until I had to fly out again for a concert that night. I wanted to be with Shelby. Still do.”

Blackstock and his wife of two years, Marissa, live in Nashville, Tennessee, near both of his parents. In November 2023, Marissa opened up on Instagram about their struggles with infertility.

"This month was our first treatment cycle, and though it didn’t bring the news we hoped for, I’m reminded that success is more than just results — it’s about gratitude for our health and each other,” Marissa wrote.

“I have to say, Shelby has been an incredibly supportive partner through all of this,” she continued. “His strength and optimism have been my rock.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com