Singing Legend Naomi Judd Passes Away At 76! RIP.
People reports.
Naomi Judd Dead at 76, According to Daughters Ashley and Wynonna: ‘We Are Navigating Profound Grief’
“We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” Ashley Judd wrote in a statement
Naomi Judd, one half of the iconic country duo The Judds, has died, PEOPLE confirms. She was 76.
Naomi’s daughter, Ashley Judd, announced her death in a statement shared on Instagram Saturday. Ashley, 54, and sister Wynonna Judd gave the same statement to the Associated Press.
“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the statement read.
“We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public,” the statement continued. “We are in unknown territory.”
The statement did not elaborate further or include an exact cause of death. Representatives for Naomi did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Naomi’s husband Larry Strickland issued a statement to PEOPLE, saying, “Naomi Judd’s family request privacy during this heartbreaking time. No additional information will be released at this time.”
The country legend had been open about her mental health in her 2016 book, River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope.
As part of the mother-daughter duo The Judds, Naomi and Wynonna, 57, garnered 14 No. 1 songs over their decades-long careers.
Some of The Judds’ most popular tunes included, “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Why Not Me,” “Girls Night Out,” “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain,” and “Grandpa.”
The duo stopped performing in 1991 when doctors diagnosed Naomi with hepatitis. The pair had just taken to the CMT Music Awards show stage earlier this month, where they made their first televised appearance in 20 years.
There, the duo performed their 1990 hit “Love Will Build a Bridge” accompanied by a choir of gospel singers, coming together at the end for a touching family moment.
The family act also recently announced their first tour in over a decade, titled The Final Tour. The 10-date arena tour was set to kick off on Sept. 30 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and would conclude in Nashville on Oct. 28.
Naomi and Wynonna were also set to celebrate their induction into Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday.
On behalf of the IP team, I offer our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Naomi Judd.
