Naomi Judd, the Kentucky-born singer of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd, has died. She was 76 years old.
The daughters announced his death Saturday in a statement provided to The Associated Press.
“Today, we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to mental illness,” the statement said.
“We are heartbroken. We are navigating deep pain and we know that as we loved her, she was loved by her audience. We are in uncharted territory.” The statement did not provide further details.
Today the sisters live a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are broken. We are sailing in deep pain and we know that as we loved her, she was loved by her audience. We are in unknown territory.
The Judds, made up of Naomi and Wynonna, were to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, and they had just announced a stadium tour starting in the fall, their first tour together in more than a decade. They also made a return to award shows when they performed at the CMT Music Awards earlier this month.
“Honored to have witnessed love can build a bridge just a few weeks ago,” singer Maren Morris posted on Twitter on Saturday.
“This is heartbreaking news! Naomi Judd was one of the sweetest people I have ever met,” singer Travis Tritt posted on Twitter, noting that he had worked with Judd several times on screen and during performances.
The mother-daughter performers scored 14 No. 1 songs in a career that spanned nearly three decades. After rising to the top of country music, they called it quits in 1991 after doctors diagnosed Naomi Judd with hepatitis. Wynonna continued a solo career.
The Judds’ hits included love can build a bridge in 1990, mom is crazy in 1984, Why not me in 1984, Let it go in 1988, girls night in 1985, Rockin’ to the beat of the rain in 1986 and Grandfather in 1986.
Born Diana Ellen Judd in Ashland, Ky., Naomi was working as a nurse in Nashville when she and Wynonna began singing together professionally. Their unique harmonies, along with elements of acoustic, bluegrass, and blues music, made them stand out in the genre at the time.
“We had a great stamp of originality on what we were trying to do,” Naomi Judd told The Associated Press after it was announced that they would be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The Judds released six studio albums and one EP between 1984 and 1991. They won nine Country Music Association Awards and seven Academy of Country Music Awards. Together they won a total of five Grammy Awards for hits like Why not me Y Give a little love.
The Judds sang about family, the belief in marriage, and the virtue of fidelity. Because Naomi looked so young, the two were mistaken for sisters early in her career.
They first gained attention singing on Ralph Emery’s morning show in the early 1980s, where the host named them the “Soap Sisters” because Naomi said she used to make her own soap.
After the success of mom is crazythey won the Horizon Award at the 1984 CMA Awards. Naomi began her speech by saying, “Slap the dog and spit on the fire!”
His daughter Ashley Judd is an actress known for her roles in movies like kiss the girls, double jeopardy Y Heat.
Naomi Judd is also survived by her husband and fellow singer, Larry Strickland, who was a backup singer for Elvis Presley.
Reference-www.cbc.ca