On this day (December 4) in 1991. The Judds played the final show of their Love Can Build a Bridge Farewell Tour. The show took place at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The concert featured guest appearances from Reba McEntire, Carl Perkins, and others.
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The Judds, the mother and daughter duo of Naomi and Wynonna Judd, burst onto the country music scene in 1983 with their debut single, “Had a Dream (For the Heart).” It peaked at No. 17 on the country chart, setting them up for later success. The next year, they released their second single, “Mama He’s Crazy,” which reached the top of the chart.
[RELATED: On This Day in 1990, One of Country Music’s Most Iconic Duos Publicly Called It Quits]
In the coming years, the duo released hit after hit. They topped the charts with songs like “Have Mercy,” “Cry Myself to Sleep,” “Why Not Me,” and others. All told, they notched 14 No. 1 singles between 1984 and 1990.
They had more than chart success, though. They also took home multiple awards, including seven consecutive CMA Top Vocal Duo awards and Vocal Group or Duo of the Year wins at the ACM Awards. The duo also took home five Grammy Awards.
They were poised to continue dominating the country music world throughout the 1990s. Unfortunately, though, Naomi Judd received a hepatitis C diagnosis that forced her to step away from music, disbanding the duo.
The Judds Say Farewell to Their Fans
Naomi Judd announced her retirement in 1990. However, the duo didn’t plan to abruptly walk away from the music world. Instead, they plotted a farewell tour, which culminated in a special evening in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The concert was recorded for a television special titled The Judds: Their Final Concert.
Naomi Judd died by suicide the night before the duo was scheduled to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and weeks before they embarked on a reunion tour. Wynonna carried on with the tour. Additionally, she returned to the site of their 1991 farewell concert to record the CMT special The Judds: Love Is Alive.
“They say that when you pass on that all these things flash through your mind,” Wynonna told Entertainment Tonight. “I got out of the car, and I thought about my mom telling me what she told me that night, and just the memories. It was the past and the present and the future all in one night. It’s painful as hell,” she added.
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