Country Music Legend Naomi Judd Honored At Country Music Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony One Day After Her Passing at 76.
The world of country music lost an icon on Saturday. Naomi Judd, who rose to fame alongside her daughter Wynonna in the Grammy-Award winning duo The Judds, passed away at the age of 76. The cause of death has yet to be fully released.
Naomi's daughters, Wynonna and actress Ashley Judd gave this statement to 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."
Naomi had been performing with her daughter Wynonna since 1983, releasing their first self-titled album The Judds in '84. The duo went on to create 14 number one hits, and scored five Grammys.
Due to Naomi's battle with hepatitis, they had to stop performing full time in 1991, though got back on stage multiple times since, even performing after a 20 year hiatus at this year's CMT Music Awards. The Judds were scheduled to go on their final tour beginning in September.
Last night, during a bittersweet moment at The Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where The Judds were to be honored, the Judd sisters took the stage in a teary eyed tribute to their late mother, Ashley accepting on her mother's behalf.
"My mamma loved you so much and she appreciated your love for her, and I'm sorry that she couldn't hang on until today."
Wynonna also said:
"I didn't prepare anything tonight because I knew mom would probably talk the most. I'm gonna make this fast, because my heart's broken, and I feel so blessed. It's a very strange dynamic, to be this broken and this blessed."
She continued,
"Though my heart's broken, I will continue to sing, because that's what we do."
Our deepest condolences go out to the Judd family at this time.
