Judd shares new message
Wynonna Judd has penned an open letter to fans about how she’s coping with her mother’s tragic death a month later. The country singer says she’s “checking in” one day shy of a month since her mother and her musical partner Naomi Judd took her own life on April 30th at the age of 76.
“There is so much happening in the world right now. So before I sat down to write this, I thought, ‘No…I just don’t know what to say.’ Then, I heard the words from my life coach asking me, ‘What do you know?’ And I began to cry. WHAT DO I KNOW??” she writes.
“I DO know, that the pain of losing Mom on 4/30 to suicide is so great, that I often feel like I’m not ever going to be able to fully accept and surrender to the truth that she left the way she did. This cannot be how The Judds story ends.💔
“I DO know, that in order to be a healthier grandparent to my firstborn grandchild Kaliyah, {born 4/13, 2 weeks & 2 days before Mom left}, to break the cycle of addiction & family dysfunction, that I must continue to show up for myself {first} and do the personal healing work. I know that it is a simple steps program, and those steps are not easy to take at times. Therefore, I’ve made a commitment to keep doing the “next right thing,” and schedule weekly appointments so that I continue with the ongoing work, even when I have good days.
“I DO know, that I feel so helpless—right now especially.
“I DO know, that as corny as it sounds, ‘Love Can Build A Bridge.’ I find myself humming the song that Mom wrote for the fans, to myself here on the farm at night.
“I really DO know, that I’m not able to do this grieving thing all by myself, and that it’s okay to reach out for help. I will continue to fight for my faith, for my SELF, for my family, and I WILL continue to show up & sing.
“Thank you all for your love and support. Let’s check in more often. 🎶💜🎶”
Naomi died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at her house one day prior to The Judds being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2021. The duo shared their final performance together on the 2022 CMT Music Awards a few weeks earlier.
Earlier this month, CMT aired, Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration, a public memorial from the Ryman Auditorium. Hosted by co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America and close family friend, Robin Roberts, the public celebration featured never-before-seen performances and collaborations, including Wynonna & Ashley Judd, Martina McBride, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris & Allison Russell, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, and others, alongside special messages from Naomi’s closest friends and fans, including Bono, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek, Reba McEntire and others.
This fall, The Judds were set to embark on their second final tour. Instead of canceling, Wynonna has chosen to honor her mother’s legacy by inviting some of music’s biggest stars to join her onstage to perform some of the timeless hits that earned The Judds multiple Grammy, CMA, and ACM awards over a span of 30+ years. Each night, Wynonna will welcome a selection of special guests on stage, including Brandi Carlile, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, McBride, Ashley McBryde, Trisha Yearwood, and others to be announced.
The 11-date arena tour, produced by Sandbox Live and Live Nation, will commence this fall in Grand Rapids, MI at Van Andel Arena on September 30th and run through October, wrapping up with the newly announced performance in The Judd’s home-state of Kentucky on October 29th at the Rupp Arena. Most dates are sold out.
