NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) – Naomi Judd, one half of the country music duo – The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd, has died. She was 76. Her daughters announced her death today (April 30) to The Associated Press and on social media.
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“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the statement said. “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.”
Naomi’s husband, Lance Strickland, stated to People magazine, “Naomi Judd’s family requests privacy during this heartbreaking time. No additional information will be released at this time.”
Naomi has been open about her mental health journey throughout her decades-long career. She appeared on Good Morning America back in 2016, where she revealed she had been diagnosed with anxiety and severe depression. Later that year, she released a book called River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope outlining some of her struggles. Some of her quotes include, “After three weeks on Zoloft and Lexapro, I felt like a new person. But not a person anyone would ever want to get to know”, “A dead-end street is a good place to turn around,” and
“You only get to be a victim once. After that, you’re a volunteer.” – Naomi Judd
Naomi and her daughter, Wynonna, began singing together in the 80s, culminating in 14 No. 1 hits, including “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Love Can Build a Bridge,” and “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days),” along with five Grammy-Award wins. Naomi’s youngest daughter, Ashley, is an accomplished actress.
The duo took to the stage for the first time in 20 decades earlier this month at the CMT Music Awards. The iconic duo performed “Love Can Build a Bridge” on the Country Music Hall of Fame steps – accompanied by a choir of gospel singers after being introduced by Kacey Musgraves.
The Judds recently announced their first tour in over a decade, titled “The Final Tour.” The ten-date trek was set to kick off on September 30. The duo was set to celebrate their Country Music Hall of Fame induction on Sunday (May 1).
