CMT will air celebration on May 15th
Bette Midler, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Jamey Johnson, Reba McEntire & Reese Witherspoon join The Judd family and previously announced lineup of friends and fans paying tribute to Naomi Judd. CMT and Sandbox Live, in partnership with The Judd family, together present Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration, a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of country music icon Naomi Judd, premiering live from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium commercial-free on Sunday, May 15th at 6 pm ET with an encore presentation at 10 pm ET exclusively on CMT.
Hosted by co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America and close family friend, Robin Roberts, the public celebration will feature never-before-seen performances and collaborations, with special guests, appearances and messages from some of the biggest names in entertainment. Previously announced performers include Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris & Allison Russell, Little Big Town and The Gaithers alongside special messages from Naomi’s closest friends and fans, including Bono, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey and Salma Hayek. Wynonna & Ashley Judd, Martina McBride and others will all make special appearances. Carly Pearce and Cody Alan will together serve as hosts for CMT, providing commentary throughout the night. Devoted husband and Pop to the girls, Larry Strickland will be in attendance in loving memory of his wife, Naomi.
A limited number of tickets are available to the general public.
CMT previously aired The Judds’ final performance of international hit and chart-topping single, “Love Can Build A Bridge,” from the 2022 CMT Music Awards. Last weekend, the network premiered CMT Remembers Naomi Judd.
Judd who passed away Saturday, April 30th at the age of 76 outside of Nashville by a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a longtime battle with mental illness. The death happened one day prior to The Judds being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at its annual Medallion Ceremony. Despite their grievances, the family asked that the ceremony still honor The Judds as members of Class of 2021 as planned.
The Judds, one of the most successful duos in country music history and pioneers for women in country music, had announced their first tour in over a decade, The Final Tour, with nearly all ten dates selling out. No word on the future of that trek as of press time.
