The devastating news that Naomi Judd has passed away has rocked the country music world.
Just one day before she was set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame alongside her daughter Wynonna, it was revealed that she passed away today at the age of 76.
According to a statement released by her daughters, they lost their mother to “the disease of mental illness,” however no other details have been provided:
Wynonna and Ashley released the following statement:
“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. 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.”
Of course, it’s damn near impossible to put into words the kind of impact The Judds had on country music.
In a relatively short career, the mother/daughter duo racked up over 20 #1 singles and 5 Grammy Awards on their way to becoming a signature artist of ’80s.
A number of fellow country music artists including Carrie Underwood, Travis Tritt, Maren Morris and more immediately took to Twitter and Instagram to share their memories, their heartbreak, and their condolences:
The Judds recently announced plans for their first tour in over a decade. Dubbed The Final Tour, it was expected to be their last.
The duo also performed at the CMT Music Awards earlier this month singing their 1990 hit, “Love Can Build A Bridge.”
RIP Naomi
