Naomi Judd, Grammy-winning country music star, dies aged 76
American country music singer Naomi Judd has died aged 76, her daughters Ashley and Wynonna Judd confirmed in a statement.
Judd found fame as part of country music duo The Judds, alongside her daughter Wynonna.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Ashley and Wynonna said: “Today, we sisters experienced a tragedy.
“We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.
“We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public.
“We are in unknown territory.”
Judd’s career spanned almost three decades and she was awarded a Grammy for country song of the year with The Judds’ hit Love Can Build A Bridge.
The Judds were due to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday and recently announced they would be going on tour together for the first time in over a decade.
Born in Kentucky, Judd was a nurse before forming a band with her daughter.
Judd’s youngest daughter Ashley became an actor, known for her roles in such movies as Kiss The Girls, Double Jeopardy and Heat.
Between 1984 and 1991, The Judds released six studio albums and an EP.
During the period, the band also won nine Country Music Association Awards and seven awards from the Academy of Country Music.
In 1991, after a hugely successful career, Judd was diagnosed with hepatitis C. The Judds subsequently announced the band would be coming to an end.
The mother and daughter duo earned a total of five Grammy Awards for hits including Why Not Me and Give A Little Love.
After receiving her hepatitis diagnosis, Judd created the Naomi Judd Education and Research Fund to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for the American Liver Foundation.
In addition to her two daughters, Judd is survived by her second husband Larry Strickland who is also a singer and previously sang with Elvis Presley.
