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Naomi Judd

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Naomi Judd (born Diana Ellen Judd; January 11, 1946 – April 30, 2022)[3][4][5] was an American country music singer and actress. In 1980, she and her daughter Wynonna (born Christina Claire) formed the duo known as The Judds, which became a very successful country music act, winning five Grammy Awards and nine Country Music Association awards. The Judds ceased performing in 1991 after Naomi was diagnosed with hepatitis; while Wynonna continued to perform as a solo artist, she occasionally reunited with her mother for tours as The Judds. Naomi struggled with mental health issues throughout her life. She died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 30, 2022, the day before she and Wynonna were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[6]

Naomi Judd
Judd in 2012
Born
Diana Ellen Judd

(1946-01-11)January 11, 1946
Ashland, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedApril 30, 2022(2022-04-30) (aged 76)
Leiper's Fork, Tennessee, U.S.[1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
Years active
  • 1983–1991
  • 1994–2022
Spouses
Michael Ciminella
​
​
(m. 1964; div. 1972)​
Larry Strickland
​
(m. 1989)​
[2]
Children
Musical career
GenresCountry
InstrumentsVocals
Labels
Formerly ofThe Judds
Websitenaomijudd.com

Early life

Judd was born to Pauline Ruth "Polly" (née Oliver) and Charles Glen Judd on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky.[7] Her father owned a gas station[7] and her mother was a riverboat cook.[8] Her brother Brian died of leukemia in 1965 at the age of 17;[9] Naomi Judd's first child, Christina Claire Ciminella (later Wynonna Judd), was born when Judd was 18.[10] Her first daughter was given the last name Ciminella after Michael Ciminella, the man who Judd quickly married after being abandoned by her boyfriend and Wynonna's biological father, Charles Jordan.[11] After the birth of her second daughter, Ashley (1968), who later became a film and stage actress, and the end of her marriage to Ciminella, Judd brought up both daughters as a single parent, first attending nursing school at California's College of Marin while living in nearby Lagunitas, California,[12] and later beginning a successful singing career with daughter Wynonna.[13] When she reverted to her maiden name following her divorce, she also took the opportunity to change her name, Diana, which she did not think fit "her own spiritual, rural Kentucky conception of her true heritage", and decided to pay homage to the Biblical figure Naomi, finding resonance in her story of moving to another land and eventually being left without a husband raising two women.[7][14]

Career

The Judds

Main article: The Judds

With her daughter Wynonna Judd, Naomi formed the highly successful singing duo known as the Judds.[15] As country music's most famous mother–daughter team, they scored twenty top ten hits (including fifteen number ones) and went undefeated for eight consecutive years at all three major country music awards shows.[16][17] They won five Grammy Awards and a vast array of other awards and honors. Naomi won a Country Song of the Year Grammy for writing "Love Can Build a Bridge".[17]

 
Wynonna and Naomi Judd sing together on base to the military and Alaska crowd at the "Alaska's Operational Gratitude" concert on June 27, 2008

Breakup and solo work

The Judds broke up soon after Naomi Judd was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1991.[18] The band's farewell concert was the most successful musical event in cable pay-per-view history.[19] Judd created the Naomi Judd Education and Research Fund in 1991 to raise awareness of hepatitis C, and used the strength of her experiences as a spokes-model for the American Liver Foundation.[20]

She received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1993.[21][22][23] In 1998, she achieved virologic cure of hepatitis C following treatment with interferon alpha.[24][25] The Judds reunited for a 1999 New Year's Eve concert in Phoenix at the America West Arena, with Ashley as the MC.[17] The Judds reunited again in 2000 for their "Power to Change" tour, performing to over 300,000 people on 30 dates.[26] The duo was nominated as the Academy of Country Music's top vocal duo of the year in 2001.[27] From 2003 to 2004, Judd judged the revamped version of Star Search hosted by Arsenio Hall.[17]

Judd began Naomi's New Morning, a Sunday morning talk show on the Hallmark Channel, in 2005. The show lasted two seasons.[28] She was also the author of several self-help books, including Naomi's Guide to Aging Gratefully: Facts, Myths, and Good News for Boomers (2007).[29]

Judd joined a new television reality-competition series Can You Duet, as a judge and mentor in 2008.[30] The show aired on CMT.[31] She competed with her husband, Larry Strickland, in the first season of the Fox Broadcasting reality cooking series My Kitchen Rules in 2017.[32]

Acting

Judd made her first screen appearance in the 1979 comedy film More American Graffiti.[33] She executive produced the 1995 made-for-television film Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge based on her book. She guest-starred in the television series Sisters, The Client, 3rd Rock from the Sun and Touched by an Angel. In 1993, Judd played the female lead opposite Kenny Rogers in the made-for-television Western Rio Diablo.[34] She continued to act, and in 1999 she starred as Lily Waite in the television film, A Holiday Romance.[35][36] Also that year, Judd starred in the drama film Family Tree.[37] She made a cameo appearance in the 2001 romantic comedy film Someone Like You starring Ashley Judd.

Judd starred alongside Laura Prepon in the 2011 Lifetime television movie The Killing Game.[38] She later starred in the Hallmark Channel films Nearlyweds and Window Wonderland, both released in 2013. In 2014, she starred as "Honey" in the Netflix film An Evergreen Christmas.[39] In 2021, Judd starred in the Lifetime adaptation of V.C. Andrews' novel Ruby playing the title character's grandmother.[40]

Personal life

Judd had two daughters, Wynonna (b. 1964) and Ashley (b. 1968). Wynonna is a musician and was the other half of their duo, The Judds. Ashley is an actress with a career spanning more than three decades.

Judd married her second husband, Larry Strickland of the Palmetto State Quartet, on May 6, 1989.[41] Strickland has also sung with other gospel groups, including J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet.

Death

On April 30, 2022, Judd died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound[42] at her home in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee; she was 76 years old.[1][41][43] She had long been struggling with depression accompanied by anxiety, panic attacks, and suicidal thoughts. The medications prescribed to her, including lithium, produced side effects including facial edema, alopecia, and tremors, which caused her further emotional distress.[44]

Announcing her death, her daughters tweeted: "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness."[5] Ashley Judd revealed the cause of her mother's death in a May 12, 2022, interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America. She made the revelation to help raise awareness of mental illness, which she hoped would help those suffering from it. She also said that she and the rest of the family wanted the manner of death to be shared by them rather than a secondhand source.[45]

A memorial for Judd was televised on CMT. Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration was broadcast from the Ryman Auditorium, as specified by Judd before she died and was hosted by Robin Roberts. It featured appearances from Ashley Judd, Larry Strickland, Bono, Bette Midler, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Reese Witherspoon, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey and Salma Hayek, plus performances by Wynonna, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Emmylou Harris and Allison Russell, Little Big Town, Brandi Carlile, and Jamey Johnson.[46]

Discography

Further information: The Judds discography

Singles

Year Title Peak positions Album
US Country
[47]
2004 "Flies on the Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)"
(with Wynonna Judd) 		33 What the World Needs Now Is Love

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1979 More American Graffiti Girl in Bus
1983 Living Proof: The Hank Williams, Jr. Story Redhead Television film
1993 Rio Diablo Flora Mae Pepper Television film
1994 Sisters Naomi Judd Episode: "Up in the Air"
1995 Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge Executive producer
1996 The Client Psychiatrist Episode: "Damn Yankees"
1996 3rd Rock from the Sun Frances Randell Episode: "Father Knows Dick"
1998 Littlest Angel's Easter Understanding Angel Voice
1999 Family Tree Sarah Musser
1999 A Holiday Romance Lily Waite Television film
2000 Touched by an Angel Liz Episode: "Mother's Day"
2001 Someone Like You... Makeup Artist
2002 Maybe It's Me Tillie Krupp Episode: "The Wedding and a Funeral Episode"
2002 Frasier Lillian (voice) Episode: "War of the Words"
2005 Higglytown Heroes School Nurse Hero (voice) Episode: "Two Bees or Not Two Bees"
2011 The Killing Game Sandra Duncan Television film
2011 The Judds Herself Executive producer, 6 episodes
2013 Nearlyweds Renee Television film
2013 Window Wonderland Rita Dorentella Television film
2014 An Evergreen Christmas Honey
2021 Ruby Catherine Landry Television film

References

  1. ^ a b "Country music icon, Williamson resident Naomi Judd dies at 76". Williamson Home Page. April 30, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Naomi Judd". IMDb. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  3. ^ Kennedy, Micah (April 30, 2022). "Naomi Judd, member of The Judds, dies at 76". WTVF. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. "The Judds Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2020. The Judds' story began in Ashland, KY, where Naomi was born Diana Ellen Judd on January 11, 1946.
  5. ^ a b Hall, Kristin M. (April 30, 2022). "Naomi Judd, of Grammy-winning Duo The Judds, Dies At 76". Bloomberg News. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  6. ^ "2021 COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME MEMBERS-ELECT". countrymusichalloffame.org. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Millard, Bob (1988). The Judds: A Biography. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0385244411.
  8. ^ "Ashley Judd's Story of Abuse Echoes Family's Sad Narrative". ABC News.
  9. ^ "Brian Judd cause of death: What happened to Naomi Judd brother?". Ghanafuo. May 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "Naomi Judd children: All about her family as country music legend dies at 76". SKPop. May 1, 2022.
  11. ^ James, Susan Donaldson (April 1, 2011). "Ashley Judd's Story of Abuse Echoes Family's Sad Narrative". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  12. ^ Selvin, Joel (January 21, 1998). "Naomi Judd Attunes Life To Healing Mind and Body". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  13. ^ Patoski, Joe Nick (May 2007). "Saved by the Belle". AARP the Magazine. Archived from the original on May 21, 2007. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  14. ^ Liptak, Carena (May 4, 2022). "The Beautiful Reason Naomi Judd Ditched Her Birth Name to Become Naomi Judd". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  15. ^ "Naomi Judd, Grammy-winning matriarch of The Judds duo, dies at 76: 'We are shattered'". USA Today Entertainment. April 30, 2022.
  16. ^ "Naomi Judd of Country Music's Most Famous Mother–Daughter Team Dead at 76". Music Fest News. May 1, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d "Naomi Judd Dies: Singer With Grammy-Winning Duo The Judds, Mother Of Wynonna And Ashley Was 76". Deadline Hollywood. April 30, 2022.
  18. ^ "What is hepatitis C, the almost-fatal infection that Naomi Judd survived in the '90s?". news.yahoo.com. May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  19. ^ Lyndsey Parker (April 30, 2022). "Country legend Naomi Judd, of the Judds, dead at age 76". Yahoo!.
  20. ^ "Naomi Judd, of Hit Country Duo the Judds, Dead at 76". Rolling Stone. April 30, 2022.
  21. ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  22. ^ Salemy, Shirley (June 27, 1993). "1993 Salute to Excellence, Stars of today and tomorrow meet in Glacier" (PDF). Great Falls Tribune.
  23. ^ Warren, Ellen (June 14, 2004). "A meeting of the minds, Hollywood A-listers, Nobel Prize winners, Mayor Daley and myriad other geniuses rub elbows at International Achievement Summit" (PDF). Chicago Tribune.
  24. ^ Anstett, Patricia; Ridder, Knight (July 6, 1998). "Naomi Judd Bounces Back from Hepatitis C Diagnosis: 'I'm Cured'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  25. ^ Straube, Trent (May 5, 2022). "Remembering Naomi Judd as a Powerful Voice for Hepatitis Advocacy". hep. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  26. ^ "Naomi Judd Age". Skinny Ninja Mom. April 13, 2022.
  27. ^ "Naomi Judd Net Worth". Filmysiyappa. May 1, 2022.
  28. ^ "naomijudd.com". Archived from the original on February 17, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2006.
  29. ^ Johnson, Caitlin A. (January 10, 2007). "Naomi Judd Says 'Age Gratefully'". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  30. ^ "Naomi Judd, Brett Manning, Aimee Mayo to judge 'Can You Duet'". Reality TV World. March 10, 2008.
  31. ^ "CMT's new 'Can You Duet' to debut April 14, hosted by Rossi Morreale". Reality TV World. March 3, 2008.
  32. ^ Petski, Denise (May 13, 2016). "Fox Orders 'My Kitchen Rules' Cooking Series With Curtis Stone & Cat Cora". TV Tonight. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  33. ^ "Naomi Judd | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  34. ^ Harrison, Joanne (February 28, 1993). "The 'Rio Diablo' Trail : THE WESTERN LANGUISHED FOR 12 YEARS ... THEN KENNY ROGERS CAME ALONG". Los Angeles Times.
  35. ^ "R.I.P. Naomi Judd". Dark Horizons. April 30, 2022.
  36. ^ "Is Naomi Judd Suffering From Illness? Her Health Update 2022". OnTrend News. April 16, 2022.
  37. ^ "'Family Tree': Boy and Geezer Save a Tree (How Could They Fail?)". archive.nytimes.com.
  38. ^ "Laura Prepon, Naomi Judd to Star in Lifetime TV Movie 'The Killing Game'". The Hollywood Reporter. June 26, 2011.
  39. ^ "An Evergreen Christmas". IMDb. November 4, 2014.
  40. ^ "Naomi Judd to Star in Lifetime V.C. Andrews Movie Series "Ruby"". September 2, 2020.
  41. ^ a b Risen, Clay (April 30, 2022). "Naomi Judd, of Grammy-Winning The Judds, Dies at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  42. ^ Earl, William; Murphy, J. Kim (May 12, 2022). "Naomi Judd's Cause of Death Was a Self-Inflicted Firearm Wound, Daughter Ashley Reveals in New Interview". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  43. ^ Irvin, Jack (May 2, 2022). "Country Legend Naomi Judd Died by Suicide After Longtime Struggle with Mental Health: Sources". People. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  44. ^ "Naomi Judd Dies at 76, Daughters Confirm in Heartbreaking Statement". Extra. April 30, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  45. ^ Feldman, Kate (May 12, 2022). "Naomi Judd died from self-inflicted gunshot wound, daughter Ashley confirms". Daily News. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  46. ^ "Naomi Judd CMT tribute includes speeches from Wynonna, Ashley Judd". The Washington Post. May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  47. ^ "Chart history for Naomi Judd". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
 
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