Country singing star Naomi Judd dead at 76

Country singer Naomi Judd, the matriarch of the Grammy-winning group The Judds, has died at 76.

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Her death was confirmed Saturday by her daughters, Wynonna and Ashley Judd, according to The Associated Press.

“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the statement said. “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.”

The statement did not elaborate further. Naomi Judd was born on Jan. 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky.

In a statement from Naomi Judd’s publicist, her husband of 32 years, Larry Strickland, “will not be making any further statements.”

“Naomi Judd’s family request(s) privacy during this heartbreaking time. No additional information will be released at this time.”

The Judds -- Naomi and Wynonna -- are scheduled to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday.

They had not performed together at an awards show in more than 20 years, Rolling Stone reported until they sang their 1990 hit, “Love Can Build a Bridge,” earlier this month at the 2022 CMT Music Awards.

Between 1984 and 1991, the Judds scored 20 Top Ten hits -- including 14 No. 1 singles, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame website. They also won five Grammy Awards, nine CMA awards and seven ACM awards.

The Judds’ other hits included ”Mama He’s Crazy” (1984), “Why Not Me” (1984), “Girls Night Out” (1985), “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain” in 1986 and “Grandpa” in 1986 and “Turn It Loose” (1988).

The Judds stopped recording in 1991 after doctors diagnosed Naomi Judd with Hepatitis C, WTVF reported.

They had announced a farewell tour, the first by The Judds in more than a decade, Variety reported. The 10-date tour was scheduled to begin Sept. 30 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and conclude Oct. 28 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, the entertainment website reported;

“What I’m looking forward to most is celebrating Judd music with the fans,” Wynonna Judd said in a statement when the tour was announced. “Mom and I have had quite the journey over the last 38 years, and the fans have been with us through it all. This tour is a celebration for them.”

Three of the arena shows, including the Nashville finale, had sold out, according to the Judds’ social media accounts.

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