It has been confirmed that legendary country singer Naomi Judd — the mother of Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd — has died.
Naomi Judd, born Diana Ellen Judd, was 76 years old. Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd penned a heartbreaking message about the passing of their mother.
The mourning daughters did not reveal the cause of death but did explain that they lost Naomi Judd after years of struggle with mental illness.
In their emotional tribute to their mother, Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd said her passing had left them in unchartered territory.
The pair stated said in the statement that was released via the Associated Press: “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.”
Wynonna Judd and her mother, Naomi Judd, formed a music group, The Judds. On Sunday, The Judds were officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
According to AP, Wynonna and her sister, Ashley Judd, were present to accept the induction together.
Wiping tears away, the sisters took the stage and recited a Bible verse. Ashley Judd said: “I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today.”
Wynonna Judd added: “Though my heart is broken, I will continue to sing.” The pair concluded by reciting Psalm 23. The duo recently announced The Final Tour, with special guest Martina McBride.
The talented mother/daughter pair was supposed to launch the farewell tour in the fall of 2022. The Judds made their final appearance at the 2022 CMT Music Awards a few weeks ago in Tennessee.
Wynonna Judd and her mother delivered a powerful performance of the classic song “Love Can Build a Bridge.”
Naomi Judd, a former nurse, had an extraordinary music career
Naomi Judd worked as a nurse in Nashville when she and Wynonna struck fame and stardom as singers and musicians in the early 1980s.
The Judds came to the entertainment scene with a fresh sound composed of acoustic elements mixed with bluegrass and blues.
The pair stood out with their harmonies and the fact that they looked like sisters.
The duo released six studio albums and collected nine Country Music Association Awards and seven from the Academy of Country Music during their impressive career.
The artists also collected Grammy Awards together and sold more than 20 million records, including hits such as “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Love Can Build a Bridge,” “Why Not Me,” and “Give A Little Love.”
Naomi Judd was honest about her struggles with mental health and contemplated suicide
Country music legend Naomi Judd was very open about her journey into a deep depression and crippling anxiety.
She wrote a book entitled River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope in 2016 that focused on her long battle with mental illness and how she was coping.
She explained that after being diagnosed with the “stinking disease,” she decided to seek medical help — that included drug treatments and electroshock therapy.
She also did an emotional interview on Good Morning America, and she said that she faced “extreme and severe depression” that pushed her towards even considering suicide at a bridge near her family’s farm.
She confessed during the sit-down: “Fans] see me in rhinestones, you know, with glitter in my hair; that really is who I am. But then I would come home and not leave the house for three weeks, and not get out of my pajamas, and not practice normal hygiene. It was really bad. When I came off the tour, I went into this deep, dark, absolutely terrifying hole, and I couldn’t get out. I spent two years on my couch.”
Naomi Judd’s daughters — Wynonna and Ashley Judd — shared their battles with depression and anxiety
Naomi Judd’s two daughters dealt with multiple mental health issues while navigating successful careers in Hollywood.
Wynonna, 57, said that she attempted suicide at 18 and is doing her best to beat depression for the sake of her grandchildren and her music.
She told Page Six: “I have thoughts where I say to myself, ‘This is too much,’ and then I call somebody. I literally will call somebody because I have been stuck in my sadness where I didn’t, and we have to reach out, and that’s been the hardest thing for me because I’m not good at asking for help, and that’s it.”
She added that she has “thoughts all the time about how hard this life is. When you live on a farm, you think, ‘Oh, I could just jump in a lake.’ But then I think I’ve got to stick around for my grandkids and make more music … A mentor once said to me, ‘Don’t leave until the miracle happens.'”
Actress Ashley Judd has also been candid about her situation.
In 2006, she said that she spent 47 days in a Texas treatment facility to help her manage depression and other emotional issues.
She said that she was working on “codependence in my relationships, depression, blaming, raging, numbing, denying and minimizing my feelings.”
If you or someone you know is dealing with mental and emotional issues, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
