Wynonna Judd “lost” the pre-tour rehearsal without Naomi’s mom dead

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) – Fans of Naomi Judd, the late matriarch of Grammy-country winning duo The Judds, have the chance to say goodbye and enjoy their hits on a recent tour hosted by daughter Wynonna Judd and all … star music partners.

Judd’s family continues to mourn her sudden death during what should have been a holiday year. The tour was announced just weeks before 76-year-old Naomi took her own life on April 30, the day before they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“It’s great to go back to the past and relive some of those memories,” said Wynonna, 58 earlier this week, as she sat on the tour bus after rehearsals.

“Yesterday I was at the rehearsal and there is a part of the program where they synchronize my mother’s singing with me. I turned around and I just lost it. “

The 11 city tour began Friday night in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with stops in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Fort Worth, Texas, and Nashville, before ending in their home state of Lexington, Kentucky. Special guests include Brandi Carlile, Ashley McBryde, Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, and Martin McBride’s tour opener.

Naomi’s husband Larry Strickland – and her two daughters, Wynonna and Ashley Judd – have wondered about their mother’s legacy, not only in music but also as a nanny and advocate. The red-haired duo scored over a dozen number 1 hits, combining the powerful vocals of young Wynonna with family harmony and Naomi’s scenic charm. Reflecting their Appalachian roots with polished pop styles, their hits included “Why Not Me”, “Mama He’s Crazy”, “Rockin ‘With the Rhythm of the Rain” and “Love Can Build a Bridge”.

Naomi’s husband, for almost 33 years, said he hoped fans would feel uplifted to hear their hits performed in the arenas again. But he knows he will fight when he sees his wife on the big screen or hears her voice again.

“I have a problem seeing her photos now. I don’t know how much I can do, said Strickland.

Strickland said his wife was excited to tour with her daughter again because she loved being in touch with the fans. The story of a single mother supporting two daughters who become one of the greatest duos in country music history, along with Naomi’s flashy wardrobe and incredible affordability made fans identify with her.

“She loved being on stage and singing,” said Strickland. “She loved people. And she did her twisting and twirling. She was a harmony singer. She wanted her hair and little dresses that she would make. So that was her world. “

Her family has endless stories of Naomi’s empathy and passion for helping, her love of animals, especially dogs, and her willingness to learn. Prior to her musical career, she was a professional nurse, served on the board of the American Humane Association, and was a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Her daughter Ashley recalled walking around with $ 20 and $ 50 bills in her bra and handing them out to people, especially women.

Wynonna said she recently visited the same hospital outside of Nashville where her mother died. She noticed that on one of the walls in the emergency room there were photos of volunteers helping patients.

“And there’s a picture of my mother in her cutest little wig and she has her name tag” Naomi Judd, “she said.

Naomi has struggled with depression for most of her life, which she openly shared in her book, The River of Time: My Depression and How I Left Hope. Her family said she was also treated for bipolar disorder and PTSD.

“That’s the complexity of the problem, because my mother, even in the darkest hours, would wear a wig and go to the emergency room to help other people in an emergency,” Wynonna said, her voice breaking. “So I find it quite devastating that she got to the point where she stopped helping herself.”

Strickland also noted how his wife was affected by mental illness. Even though she felt incredibly excited about the tour, her mental state was deteriorating, he said. Strickland said she was seeing a psychiatrist, but her depression was resistant to treatment and they tried different types of medications to help her.

“The holes he would experience with mental illness just seemed to worsen,” he said.

Since The Judds debuted in the 1980s, the family has lived in the public eye, appearing on magazine covers, books and TV shows. But Naomi’s death only intensified control, so much so that the family dispels rumors that there is a fortune dispute. The executor of the will was Strickland, Ashley and Wynonny’s stepfather.

Ashley said it was “obviously natural, good and right that mom’s fortune flows over to Pop, her 43-year-old partner, and then, upon his death, to her daughters.”

The actor was with his mother when she died and was in favor family legal application to prevent public disclosure of the police investigative files relating to her mother’s death. Following an appeal, the Tennessee Supreme Court referred the case back to the lower court. Ashley said privacy should be afforded to any family dealing with suicide.

“We are an open family,” she said. “We are committed to raising awareness about treating mental illness and reducing shame and stigma, channeling people to resources, and helping families build resilience and resilience to damage. And there is also a certain dignity and decency that are necessary on the day of death.

Wynonna said since her mother’s death, people who had similar experiences had approached her asking her to provide fans with information about mental illness during the tour.

“It is very real to me. It is not only show business. This is an opportunity to help someone there without ending their lives, ”she said. “We need to get rid of the stigma of the words mental illness because people will not seek help.”

Wynonna’s relationship with her mother was drama-filled at times, but continues to this day as she sits under a tree in her Tennessee home processing her grief. “I love my mother and she still drives me crazy. Your relationship with your mother never ends, ”she said. “I still talk to her and it’s amazing and difficult.”

The family wants fans to remember Naomi as a beautiful, talented, intelligent and colorfully complex woman who has had ups and downs and has been honest on her journey.

“I want them to see that in adversity, there is life in death,” Wynonna said.

The national helpline for suicide and crises can be obtained by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.