During Lifetime’s two-night docuseries The Judd Family: Truth Be Told, Wynonna Judd opened up about her complex relationship with her mother and musical partner, Naomi Judd.
Naomi Judd died by suicide on April 30, 2022, at her farmhouse in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. She was 76 years old at the time.
Wynonna, 60, and Naomi, were a mother-daughter musical duo formed in the early ‘80s. Known for major hits like “Why Not Me,” “Girls Night Out,” and “Love Can Build a Bridge,” the pair went on to experience undeniable success—and they had the accolades to show for it.
The Judds earned five Grammy Awards, nine CMA Awards, and eight ACM Awards during their time together. Moreover, the Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame following Naomi’s death, although they were originally scheduled to be inducted on the day she passed.
Even so, Naomi and Wynonna’s dynamic wasn’t always the easiest to navigate.
“I think Naomi was scared to death that we were not going to keep her as part of this duo,” Woody Bowles, who handled PR for the Judds, said in the docuseries.
“Naomi was searching for any way she could contribute to the show,” including “by being pretty,” producer Don Potter added.
According to Bowles, Naomi wanted her Wynonna to have “the WASP waist” and to “look as much like her as she could.”
Related: Ashley Judd Recalls Final Moment With Late Mom Naomi
In Wynonna’s own words, she reflected, “[My mom] was 36 years old, she was ready to be [on] fire. As the kids would say today, she had drip. She was foxy. But then, I was so aggravated by her sexuality.”
The “No One Else On Earth” artist recalled, “Mom was very hard on me. She was terrified of losing me, of course, but she never would say it that way,” she said. “It was always, ‘Well, if you lost 20 pounds, you could be a pop star.’”
Bowles explained that their rift over Wynonna’s weight led to a lot of conflict. “I think Naomi felt like Wynonna’s weight reflected badly on her as a mother,” he revealed. “The two of them would lock themselves in the back of the bus, screaming and yelling. Several times, we had to cancel shows, because Wynonna had stripped her voice.”
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
