Wynonna Judd has found significant peace following the shocking death of her mother, Naomi Judd.
In an appearance on Circle Country’s Talking in Circles, the musical legend, 60, opened up about the ways she’s been dealing with the ups and downs of life following her mother’s death by suicide in 2022.
“What do you do with that kind of crap that happens to you?” host Clint Black asked Judd, noting that his father died by suicide as well. “You feel so helpless, and there’s a mystery there as to why. So I had to go through that, like you did, right?”
In response, Judd explained that there were a lot of questions following her mom’s death.
“You kind of had more of a why than I do, because everybody thought she was okay. Everybody thought everything’s okay, and it’s not okay. You don’t know what’s going on,” Judd replied. “I was on tour and distracted.”
Despite the tragedy, Wynonna has found joy by spending time with her 3-year-old granddaughter, Kaliyah, whom she is raising.
“And it’s just a weird time. This past year, I’ve learned so much about myself, and now that I’m with my grandbaby 24/7, I’m learning that there is life after death. And if I can go out on this tour, this is heavy, and I can go out on stage and I can help someone decide to stay instead of leaving, then I’ve done my job,” she explained. “And I just know that what we’re going through after our parents’ death is, I’m now an orphan. I have to decide whether the cup is half full or half empty.”
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Judd goes by “Nonie” with Kaliyah, whose mother, Grace Kelley, has struggled with legal issues in recent years. Judd is also the sister of actress Ashley Judd. However, Wynonna noted that their dynamic is a bit unusual, with Ashley referring to her as “Sister Mommy.”
“I raised Ashley. That’s why we have such a funny relationship,” she shared. “I’m a little bit sad about that because I didn’t get to be her sister. It was just the two of us trying to survive.”
While the duo’s relationship is a work in progress in the present day, Wynonna did say that her sister is thriving.
“Ashley’s doing well. I don’t see her very much and we’re not as close as I’d like to be but that’s because success took us away from each other,” she shared. “It’s a funny thing. There’s a bit of a sadness, because being famous takes you from home.”
Related: Wynonna Judd Surprises Fans With Tease of New Music Coming Soon
Wynonna Judd Makes Heartfelt Admission After Her Mom’s Shocking Death first appeared on Parade on May 28, 2025
