Naomi Judd, one half of the iconic country duo The Judds, has died, PEOPLE confirms. She was 76.
An additional statement from Naomi’s husband of 32 years, Larry Strickland, reads: “Naomi Judd’s family request privacy during this heartbreaking time. No additional information will be released at this time.”
Naomi, Ashley and Wynonna Judd in 1999.Robin Platzer/Twin Images/Getty
The country legend hadbeen open about her mental healthin her 2016 book,River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope, revealing she had suffered from suicidal depression.
Naomi Judd.Jeff Kravitz/Getty for CMT
“Nobody can understand it unless you’ve been there,” the singer told PEOPLE at the time. “Think of your very worst day of your whole life – someone passed away, you lost your job, you found out you were being betrayed, that your child had a rare disease – you can take all of those at once and put them together and that’s what depression feels like.”
Naomi and Wynonna Judd.The Tyler Twins
As part of the mother-daughter duo The Judds, Naomi and Wynonna, 57, garnered 14 No. 1 songs over their decades-long careers.
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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 (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days).”
The duo stopped performing in 1991 when doctors diagnosed Naomi with hepatitis C, which she had contracted while working as a nurse. The pair had just appeared on the CMT Music Awards show stage earlier this month, where they made theirfirst televised appearance in 20 years.
Naomi and Wynonna Judd.CMT
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 celebratetheir inductioninto Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday.
“I’ll be honest,” Wynonna said last August. “I’ve talked to three people, and immediately the first thing they said was, ‘It’s about damn time,’ and as a daughter, I went, ‘Yes, it is.’ My mother, to me, is the queen of my parade — and it’s time to celebrate her.”
source: people.com
