The 76-year-old Grammy-winning singer and part of the mother-daughter group The Judds, Naomi Judd, passed away on April 30. On that day, Wynonna and Ashley Judd, her daughters, posted a notice of her passing online.
“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the sisters tweeted. “We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public.”
Who Was Naomi Judd?
Naomi Judd was an American singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and author. Naomi was the mother of Wynonna Judd, a country music singer, and Ashley Judd, an actress. She was also well-known for joining Wynonna to form the singing duo The Judds in the early 1980s.
The studio albums “Why Not Me,” “Rockin’ with the Rhythm,” “Heartland,” “Christmas Time with The Judds,” “River of Time,” and “Love Can Build a Bridge” were released by The Judds between 1984 and 1990 and were nominated for six Grammy Awards.
The Judds broke up in 1991 after recording 14 #1 hits and learning that Naomi had Hepatitis C. In 2021, the Judds were admitted to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Diana Ellen Judd gave birth to Naomi Judd in Ashland, Kentucky, on January 11, 1946. With his mother Polly, father Charles (who owned a gas station), and three siblings, Judd grew up. Brian, her younger brother, tragically died of leukemia at the age of 17.
Before her singing career took off, Naomi raised her daughters alone while going to nursing school at the College of Marin in California.
On May 30, 1964, Naomi gave birth to Christina Claire Ciminella, later known as Wynonna. Charles Jordan is Wynonna’s real father, but on January 3, 1964, Judd wed Michael Charles Ciminella after Jordan deserted her.
Before getting divorced in 1972, Naomi and Michael had one child together, Ashley (born on April 19, 1968). On May 6, 1989, Judd married Larry Strickland, a vocalist for the Palmetto State Quartet.
Naomi Judd Cause Of Death
The country music star’s suicide was verified by an autopsy, as Judd’s family had previously stated.
Judd’s cause of death was determined by the Williamson County medical examiner in Tennessee, who also noted that Judd had previously struggled with anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder and had left a “note with suicidal connotations” nearby.
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Judd’s family released a statement in which they requested prayers and good thoughts for those who suffer from mental illness and their loved ones. They also provided contact information for the 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline.
Ashley, Judd’s daughter, previously shared information about her mother’s passing in a May 12 interview with Diane Sawyer for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Naomi Judd allegedly “used a firearm,” which Ashley Judd said she had done.
That’s the piece of information that we are very reluctant to share, but you must understand that if we don’t, someone else will, she said.
The actress added that her mother had “found” her during their visit that day.
A court petition was submitted by the Judd family at the beginning of August in an effort to prevent the release of documents that were associated with Naomi Judd’s passing. In the name of Strickland and her daughters, the petition was submitted to the Williamson County Chancery Court, which is located just outside of Nashville.
The petition claims that the records from the investigation include video and audio interviews that were conducted immediately after Judd’s death and that the release of these interviews would cause “significant trauma and irreparable harm.”
In addition to the audio and video records, the family asked that all materials related to the investigation be kept secret.
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