The Judds were an American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

duo composed of lead vocalist

Wynonna Judd Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...

and her mother,

Naomi Judd Naomi Judd (born Diana Ellen Judd; January 11, 1946 – April 30, 2022) was an American singer and actress. In 1980, she and her daughter Wynonna (born Christina Claire) formed the duo known as The Judds, which became a very successful country ...

. The duo signed to

RCA Nashville RCA Nashville is an American country music record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is distributed by Sony Music Nashville which is part of Sony Music. Current artists *Kane Brown *Andrew Jannakos *Miranda Lambert * Niko Moon (RCA/River Ho ...

in 1983 and released six studio albums between then and 1991. The Judds were one of the most successful acts in country music history, winning five

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and nine Country Music Association awards. They also charted more than twenty singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including fourteen that went to number one. After eight years as a duo, the Judds disbanded in 1991 after Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Wynonna began a solo career soon after, although she and her mother reunited on multiple occasions. Naomi Judd died by suicide after a long battle with her mental health on April 30, 2022, nineteen days after the final performance of the Judds and a day before the duo's induction into the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amas ...

Early life and career

Naomi Judd was born Diana Ellen Judd on January 11, 1946, in

Ashland, Kentucky Ashland is a home rule-class city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. The largest city in Boyd County, Ashland is located upon a southern bank of the Ohio River at the state border with Ohio and near West Virginia. The population was 21,6 ...

. Growing up, she played piano at her local church. At age 18, she married Michael Ciminella and gave birth to her daughter Christina Ciminella, who would later change her name to

; though Ciminella was regarded as Wynonna's father, in truth, Naomi had conceived Wynonna out of wedlock with an ex-boyfriend named Charles Jordan. After Diana's parents divorced, she and her daughter moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

in 1968, and lived on welfare after she and Michael divorced in 1972. By 1979, Diana and her daughter moved to Tennessee. Diana renamed herself Naomi and began playing music with her daughter, who sang lead and played guitar. At the same time, Naomi began studying to be a nurse. Naomi was a promoter of the act, and was reportedly propositioned,

sexually harassed Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...

, and dismissed when she tried to do so. She submitted a cassette tape produced for $30 to Nashville music producers and to anyone who would listen. In 1983, Naomi met the daughter of record producer

Brent Maher Brent Maher is a producer, engineer, and songwriter currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. He has produced and engineered six Grammy-winning records and received awards from the CMA, ACM, CCMA, ASCAP, SOCAN and NSAI. Maher engineered ...

, who was able to secure the Judds an audition with executives of

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

. These executives signed the duo immediately upon hearing their audition.

Musical career

The Judds' first release for RCA/Curb was an

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

titled '' Wynonna & Naomi''. The release consisted of six songs, two of which were issued as singles to promote it. First was "

Had a Dream (For the Heart) "Had a Dream (For the Heart)" is a song written by Dennis Linde. It was originally recorded by Teresa Brewer as "For the Heart" on her 1975 album, ''Unliberated Woman'', and then covered by Elvis Presley, also as "For the Heart", on his 1976 album ...

", a song written by

Dennis Linde Dennis Linde (pronounced LIN-dy, March 18, 1943December 22, 2006) was an American music songwriter based in Nashville who has had over 250 of his songs recorded. He is best known for writing the 1972 Elvis Presley hit, "Burning Love". Rarely w ...

and originally cut by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

as the B-side to his 1976 single " Hurt". The Judds' rendition was their first entry on the Hot Country Songs charts, where it peaked at No. 17. Next was "

Mama He's Crazy "Mama He's Crazy" is a song written by Kenny O'Dell, and originally recorded by American country music duo The Judds. It was released in April 1984 as the second single from their debut January 1984 EP ''Wynonna & Naomi''. The song was re-released ...

", written by

Kenny O'Dell Kenneth Guy Gist Jr. (June 21, 1944 – March 27, 2018), known as Kenny O'Dell, was an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for writing the number-one country hits " Behind Closed Doors" (recorded by Charlie Rich, 1973) and ...

. In mid-1984, this song became the first of eight consecutive No. 1 singles for the duo on the country music charts, while also earning the duo its first

Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded from 1970 to 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: * In 1970 the award was known as Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group * From 1971 to 19 ...

the following year. The Judds' first full-length studio album, '' Why Not Me'', was issued in 1984. Steve Huey of

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

wrote that the album "took its place as a classic of modern country, establishing the Judds as spokeswomen for a new generation of female country music fans." Three singles were issued from it: the

title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may a ...

, which earned a second Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, followed by " Girls Night Out" and " Love Is Alive". The album went on to sell a million copies in the United States. ''

Rockin' with the Rhythm ''Rockin' with the Rhythm'' is the second studio album by American country music duo The Judds, released on October 30, 1985, by RCA Nashville. It features the singles "Have Mercy," "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)," "Rockin' with the R ...

'' (1985) accounted for four more singles. First was " Have Mercy", which held the No. 1 position on Hot Country Songs for two weeks, making it their only song to hold that position for more than a single week. "

Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days) "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)" is a song written by Jamie O'Hara, and recorded by the American country music duo, The Judds. It was released in January 1986 as the second single from the album ''Rockin' with the Rhythm''. The song ...

" came next. Released in February 1985, the song won both a third Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, along with

Grammy Award for Best Country Song The Grammy Award for Best Country Song (sometimes known as the Country Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1965. The award is given to the songwriter(s) of the song, not to the artist, except if the artist is also the songwriter. There ha ...

, both awarded in 1987. Following these were "

Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain "Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain" is a song written by Brent Maher and Don Schlitz, and recorded by American country music duo The Judds. It was released in May 1986 as the third single from the album ''Rockin' with the Rhythm ''Rockin' wi ...

" and "

Cry Myself to Sleep "Cry Myself to Sleep" is a song written by Paul Kennerley, and recorded by American country music duo The Judds. It was released in September 1986 as the fourth single from the album ''Rockin' with the Rhythm''. The song was their eighth number ...

". 1987's ''

Heartland Heartland or Heartlands may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Heartland Bank, a New Zealand-based financial institution * Heartland Inn, a chain of hotels based in Iowa, United States * Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty organization i ...

'' was led off by another Elvis Presley cover, specifically "

Don't Be Cruel "Don't Be Cruel" is a song that was recorded by Elvis Presley and written by Otis Blackwell in 1956.Victor (2008), ''The Elvis Encyclopedia'', p.115-116 It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in '' Rol ...

", featuring backing vocals from

The Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vocal ...

. Huey described this album as more "uneven" than its predecessors. " I Know Where I'm Going", "

Maybe Your Baby's Got the Blues "Maybe Your Baby's Got the Blues" is a song written by Troy Seals and Graham Lyle, and recorded by American country music duo The Judds. It was released in August 1987 as the third single from the album ''Heartland Heartland or Heartlands may ref ...

", and "

Turn It Loose "Turn it Loose" is a song written by Craig Bickhardt, Don Schlitz and Brent Maher, and recorded by American country music duo The Judds. It was released in January 1988 as the fourth single from the album ''Heartland Heartland or Heartlands ma ...

" were also released from this compilation, followed in 1988 by two tracks off their ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' package: " Give a Little Love" and " Change of Heart" (written by Naomi), the latter of which accounted for their fourth Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

1988 until disbanding

'' River of Time'', issued in 1989, became their first disc not to reach the summit of the Top Country Albums charts. Despite its lower sales, it accounted for their last No 1 hits " Young Love (Strong Love)" and " Let Me Tell You About Love", the latter of which featured Carl Perkins on lead guitar. The later singles were less successful, with "

Guardian Angels A guardian angel is a type of angel that is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group or nation. Belief in tutelary beings can be traced throughout all antiquity. The idea of angels that guard over people played a major role in ...

" becoming their first single since "Had a Dream" not to make Top 10 of the country charts. Huey noted that at this point in the Judds' career, the personalities of Wynonna and Naomi began to differ. According to

: "Naomi was the extroverted stage presence, the sometime songwriter, the ambitious businesswoman who steered the group's career and pushed her daughter to keep realizing her talent. Wynonna--despite her quiet, reserved demeanor--was a prodigiously talented vocal stylist who grew surer of herself with every passing release and rebelled more and more forcefully against her mother's direction." Amid speculation that the two would disband, they released their last full studio album, ''

Love Can Build a Bridge "Love Can Build a Bridge" is a song written by Naomi Judd, Paul Overstreet, and John Barlow Jarvis, and recorded by American country music duo the Judds. It was released in 1990 as the second single and title track from their album of the sam ...

'', in 1990. From it came " Born to Be Blue" and the

, written by Naomi along with Paul Overstreet and

John Barlow Jarvis John Barlow Jarvis (born January 2, 1954 in Pasadena, California)Paul Kingsbury, editor"The Encyclopedia of Country Music: The Ultimate Guide to the Music" 2004 is an American songwriter, composer, session pianist and recording artist. Before mov ...

. "Love Can Build a Bridge" was also their last single to receive Grammy Awards, once again for Country Song and Best Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. This album was promoted by a farewell tour. Ending the original segment of their career was '' Greatest Hits Volume Two'' (1991). It also accounted for the single "

John Deere Tractor Deere & Company, the firm founded by John Deere, began to expand its range of John Deere equipment to include the tractor business in 1876. The Deere company briefly experimented with building its own tractor models, the most successful of which ...

", originally found on ''Wynonna & Naomi''. Following their disbanding, Wynonna Judd signed to

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 w ...

and Curb Records between 1992 and 1997, followed by just Curb from then onward. She charted over 25 singles on her own, including four that went to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs charts. These included her first three releases, "

She Is His Only Need "She Is His Only Need" is a song written by Dave Loggins, and performed by American country music artist Wynonna. It was Wynonna's first solo single, after spending nine years alongside her mother, Naomi Judd, as The Judds. It was released in Jan ...

", " I Saw the Light", and "

No One Else on Earth "No One Else on Earth" is a song written by Jill Colucci, Stewart Harris and Sam Lorber, performed by American country music artist Wynonna. It was released in August 1992 as the third single from Wynonna's self-titled debut album. It was also t ...

" all in 1992, along with " To Be Loved by You" in 1996.

Reunion shows

Wynonna and Naomi briefly reunited for a performance at the Super Bowl XXVIII halftime show. They reunited again in a commercial for the retail chain

Kmart Kmart Corporation ( , doing business as Kmart and stylized as kmart) is an American retail company that owns a chain of big box department stores. The company is headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States. The company was inc ...

, performing the song "Changing for the Better". The duo also performed several shows in 1998. During this time, the duo also charted one more single credited to The Judds, as well as receiving an

Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...

nomination for Duo of the Year in 2001. In addition, Naomi sang harmony on Wynonna's 2004 single "Flies on the Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)", although this song was credited as "Wynonna with Naomi Judd". The duo reunited for a one-off performance on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1999, in Phoenix, AZ with Wynonna's half-sister Ashley Judd. The 23 song set was released as '' The Judds Reunion Live'' and features Naomi's husband, Larry Strickland producing. In 2008, the Judds once again reunited for a concert at the 2008 Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California, as well as two shows in Canada, including one at the world-famous

Calgary Stampede The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and featu ...

and another at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival in

Merritt, British Columbia Merritt is a city in the Nicola Valley of the south-central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is northeast of Vancouver. Situated at the confluence of the Nicola and Coldwater rivers, it is the first major community encountered afte ...

. In 2009, the Judds performed at the

CMA Music Festival The CMA Music Festival is a four-day music festival centered on country music, hosted each June by the Country Music Association (CMA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Beginning in 1972 under the name Fan Fair, the event now draws over 400 artists and c ...

in Nashville. In February 2010,

appeared on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

's ''

The Early Show ''The Early Show'' is an American morning television show that aired on CBS from November 1, 1999 to January 7, 2012, and the ninth attempt at a morning news-talk program by the network since 1954. The program aired Monday through Friday from ...

'' and announced that she would reunite with Naomi, to tour and record a studio album for the final time as the Judds by the end of 2010. The tour, known as the

Last Encore Tour The Last Encore Tour is a concert tour by People of the United States, American recording artist, The Judds. The tour is the duo's first tour in 10 years, the last being the "Power to Change Tour" in 2000. The duo states this is the final farewel ...

, became an 18-city tour of the US that was expanded to 29 dates in 2011. On September 14, 2010, the Judds appeared on ''

The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. Produced ...

'' where Wynonna discussed "her recent weight loss, her year of living dangerously and what it's like going back on stage as part of the iconic duo, the Judds." The Judds also performed their new single " I Will Stand by You," which was released on iTunes that same day. In March 2011, Curb Records announced the release of the Judds' new album, '' I Will Stand by You: The Essential Collection'', which features two new songs and twelve of the duo's hits. The album was released on April 5, 2011. In April 2011, the Judds began starring in their first reality series, ''The Judds'', on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The new series, which premiered April 10, follows the duo on their final concert tour and explores their mother-daughter relationship. In October 2017, the Judds reunited in order to appear at the "All in for the Gambler" concert, the final Nashville concert by

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted m ...

which took place at the

Bridgestone Arena Bridgestone Arena (originally Nashville Arena, and formerly Gaylord Entertainment Center and Sommet Center) is a multi-purpose venue in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in 1996, it is the home of the Nashville Predators o ...

and featured performances by many of Rogers' friends. Wynonna sang " You Turn The Light On" before Naomi joined her to perform "

Back to the Well ''Back to the Well'' is the twenty-fifth studio album released in 2003 by American country music singer Kenny Rogers. The album includes the singles "Harder Cards," "I'm Missing You" and "Handprints on the Wall," all of which charted on the Hot Co ...

Wynonna Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...

and

reunited for what would be their final performance together at the

2022 CMT Music Awards The 2022 CMT Music Awards, the 56th edition of the awards ceremony, were held in Nashville, Tennessee on April 11, 2022, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and locations in and around Nashville, Tennessee. The ceremony was hosted by Kelsea B ...

. They performed "

", from the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Kacey Musgraves Kacey Lee Musgraves (born August 21, 1988) is an American country singer. She has won six Grammy Awards, seven Country Music Association Awards, and three Academy of Country Music Awards. Musgraves self-released three solo albums and one as Texa ...

introduced the performance. The performance marked the Judds' first nationally televised award show performance in more than twenty years. On April 11, 2022, the Judds' "The Final Tour" was announced with special guest Martina McBride, making 10 stops beginning on September 30. However, Naomi died by suicide on April 30, 2022, five months before the tour was scheduled to begin. Honoring

and

Ashley Judd Ashley Judd (born Ashley Tyler Ciminella; April 19, 1968) is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performing artists: she is the daughter of the late country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna ...

's wishes for the medallion ceremony to continue in spite of their grief, the Judds were inducted into the

the day following Naomi's death. Despite Naomi's death, Wynonna announced that she would continue to tour under the name The Judds in late 2022 with Ashley McBryde,

Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill' ...

, Brandi Carlile,

Little Big Town Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group from Homewood, Alabama. Founded in 1998, the group has comprised the same four members since its founding: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman (née Roads), Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbr ...

, and

Trisha Yearwood Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American singer, actress, author and television personality. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single " She's in Love with the Boy," which became a number one hit on the ''Billboard'' c ...

Discography

;Studio albums *'' Why Not Me'' (1984) *''

'' (1985) *''

'' (1987) *''

Christmas Time with the Judds ''Christmas Time with the Judds'' is the fourth studio album by American Country music, country duo the Judds. It was released on September 29, 1987 by RCA Records. It was produced by Brent Maher. ''Christmas Time'' was the duo's first collection ...

'' (1987) *'' River of Time'' (1989) *''

'' (1990) ;Extended plays *'' Wynonna & Naomi'' (1984) *'' Big Bang Boogie'' (2000)

Awards and honors

Academy of Country Music

*1984 Top Vocal Duo *1985 Top Vocal Duo *1986 Top Vocal Duo *1987 Top Vocal Duo *1988 Top Vocal Duo *1989 Top Vocal Duo *1990 Top Vocal Duo *2013 Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award

Country Music Association

*1984 Horizon Award *1985 Single of the Year - "Why Not Me" *1985 Vocal Group of the Year *1986 Vocal Group of the Year *1987 Vocal Group of the Year *1988 Vocal Duo of the Year *1989 Vocal Duo of the Year *1990 Vocal Duo of the Year *1991 Vocal Duo of the Year

Grammy Awards

*1985 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - "Mama He's Crazy" *1986 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - "Why Not Me" *1987 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)" *1989 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - "Give A Little Love" *1992 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - "Love Can Build A Bridge"

Country Music Hall of Fame

*Inducted 2022.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Judds, The 1983 establishments in Kentucky 2022 disestablishments in Kentucky American musical duos Country music duos Country music groups from Kentucky Curb Records artists Female musical duos Grammy Award winners Mercury Records artists Musical groups established in 1983 Musical groups disestablished in 2022 Musical groups from Appalachia Musicians from Ashland, Kentucky RCA Records Nashville artists