The Judds

History

Naomi Judd was born Diana Ellen Judd on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky. She played piano at her local church. At age 17, she married Michael Ciminella, with whom she had Christina Ciminella, who would later be renamed Wynonna Judd. After Diana's parents divorced, she and her daughter moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1968, and lived on welfare after she and Michael divorced in 1972. By 1979, Diana and her daughter moved back 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 dogged promoter of the act, and was reportedly propositioned, sexually harassed and dismissed when she tried to promote the act using a tape produced for $30 to Nashville music producers and to anyone who would listen. In 1983, they got their big break when Naomi convinced a record producer whose child she had cared for as a nurse to come to her home and listen to the act. The producer was "charmed" and the duo was signed by RCA and Curb. Their biggest hits, "Girls Night Out " (1985); "Turn it Loose" (1988); "Why Not Me" (1984); "I Know Where I'm Going (1987); and "Grandpa" (1986); electrified audiences. Naomi was the performer of the group, and the business leader, while Wynonna was the artistic and lyrical leader.

Reunion shows

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

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 and another at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival in Merritt, British Columbia. In 2009, the Judds performed at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville.

In February 2010, Wynonna Judd appeared on CBS's The Early Show 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, 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 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.

Academy of Country Music

Country Music Association

Grammy Awards