We Lost One of the Most Powerful Women in Country Music 4 Years Ago—Hours Before She Made Her Long-Awaited Return to the Stage

On this day (April 30) in 2022, Naomi Judd, born Diana Judd, died in her Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, home at the age of 76 after a years-long battle with depression. As one half of the mother-daughter duo, the Judds, she helped spearhead a resurgence of traditional-sounding country music in the 1980s and ’90s. The duo was set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on May 1, 2022. Their farewell tour was slated to kick off later that year.

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Judd and her daughters, Ashley and Christina (later Wynonna), settled in Franklin, Tennessee, in the late 1970s, where the duo began performing locally. Their early style was heavily influenced by old-time, folk, and traditional country music. This made them stand out from the majority of Nashville’s biggest acts, who were blending more pop elements into their music and aiming for crossover success.

According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Judds began performing on the Ralph Emery Show in 1980. At the same time, they continued to pursue every musical opportunity that came their way. The elder Judd knew they were destined to make it in the music business. However, the duo’s big break didn’t come from their time on Emery’s show or their tireless local gigging.

When they weren’t performing, Judd worked as a nurse. One day, the daughter of producer Brent Maher came into the hospital. She slipped Ms. Maher a demo tape. Fortunately, she listened to it and liked what she heard. She then enlisted guitarist Don Potter to help the duo nail down their signature sound. They centered on Wynonna’s powerful voice and their blood harmony.

The Judds Enter the Country Music World with Wynonna & Naomi

In 1983, the Judds signed a joint deal with RCA Nashville and Curb Records. Later that year, they released their debut EP, Wynonna & Naomi. It produced their first No. 1, “Mama He’s Crazy.” It was the first song from a female duo to top the country chart in more than three decades.

The Judds dominated the country charts and airwaves for the rest of the decade. They sent 14 songs to the top of the chart and took home five Grammy Awards. They also won several CMA and ACM Awards. When they released their fifth album, Love Can Build a Bridge, in 1990, they were on top of the world. A little more than a month later, they announced that it was all over.

Naomi Judd stepped away from the spotlight after being diagnosed with hepatitis C. They embarked on a farewell tour that ended in December 1991. Then, Wynonna embarked on her solo career.

The duo reunited a handful of times over the years. Notably, Naomi joined her daughter during the halftime show at the 1994 Super Bowl. They sang “Love Can Build a Bridge” with some of the other country stars of the day. They reunited for festival appearances and a larger Last Encore tour in 2010. Then, Naomi once again stepped down while Wynonna pushed forward.

The Final Tour

In April 2022, the Judds announced their Final Tour, which was slated to kick off in September. Before that, the public would see Naomi Judd stand beside her daughter as they received their much-deserved Country Music Hall of Fame medallions. At the same time, rumors of new music began to circulate. It looked like one of country music’s greatest duos was set to make a comeback.

Tragically, though, Naomi Judd lost her years-long battle with depression the night before they were set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wynonna and Ashley Judd attended the medallion ceremony. Later that year, Wynonna gathered some of the strongest women in country to embark on the scheduled Final Tour. Those shows weren’t the celebration of the return of the Judds that everyone hoped they would be. Instead, they were a celebration of the legacy Naomi helped build and the resilience it took for Wynonna to carry on.

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