Naomi Judd, half of the Grammy-winning pair The Judds, died on Saturday at the age of 76, according to her family, the day before her group was set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In a joint statement shared on their Instagram profiles, actress Ashley Judd and singer Wynonna Judd, the other half of The Judds, wrote, “Today we sisters endured a tragedy.” “Our lovely mother succumbed to the affliction of mental illness.”
“We’re dealing with a lot of loss right now, and we know that the public loved her just as much as we did.”
The sisters did not provide any other information about their mother’s death.
Naomi and Wynonna Judd started their pair in the late 1970s, but it wasn’t until 1983 that they got their big break. They achieved 14 number-one songs and won several music prizes, including five Grammys, throughout their combined career.
The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on May 1 for “taking country back to its origins in the 1980s with lean, tuneful compositions influenced by traditional folk music, acoustic blues, and family harmony acts,” according to the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Instagram account.
“Love Can Build A Bridge,” “Mama He’s Crazy,” and “Girls’ Night Out” are among the duo’s most popular tracks.
When Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1991, the Judds formally separated, though the two had reassembled numerous times for special tours and performances.