Naomi Judd, known for her mother/daughter duo, The Judds, has passed away. She was 76. Daughters Wynonna and Ashley released a statement that reads, “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.”
The Judds achieved their first number one in 1984 for “Mama He’s Crazy,” just one year after signing their record deal. They went on to dominate the country airwaves through the rest of the decade, but called it quits in 1991 after Naomi’s hepatitis diagnosis. The Judds were scheduled to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame tomorrow. [5.1.22]
As someone who grew up listening to cassette tapes of The Judds in my dad’s truck, this one hits hard. We just saw them perform at the CMT Awards a few weeks ago, and they were set for their farewell tour this fall. Our hearts and prayers go out to Wynonna, Ashley, and the country music family.
Cover photo: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images for CMT
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