Naomi Judd was born Diana Ellen Judd on January 11, 1946, in Kentucky. As a child, she was outgoing, popular, attractive, and loved attention. She spent her babysitting wages on tap dance lessons. At the young age of 17, Judd became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter she called Christina. Many years later, fans would know the child as Wynonna Judd.

Abandoned by her high school sweetheart, Diana married Michael Ciminella, another boy she had dated occasionally, and the couple had a second daughter, Ashley, who went on to become a successful Hollywood and stage actress. In 1968, the family moved to California, and after Diana and Michael’s marriage ended in 1972, Diana raised her girls alone, taking secretarial jobs in the film industry, and waitressing. While Diana attended nursing school she and her eldest daughter began to sing together, playing gigs as The Hillbilly Women in the San Francisco area. In 1979, the duo, now changing their first names to Naomi and Wynonna, and calling themselves The Judds, moved to Nashville.

Though they performed on local radio and TV, Naomi still worked other jobs to support the family. In 1982, Naomi was assigned as a nurse for record producer, Brent Maher, tending to his daughter who’d been in an accident. Maher listened to The Judds’ demo tape and agreed to be their producer. In 1983, the pair signed with RCA Records after a live audition. Soon, the mother-daughter act rose to stardom, with fourteen number-one hits, selling 20 million records, and winning numerous industry awards, including nine CMAs, eight ACMs, and five Grammys. Among their hits, are “Have Mercy,” “Why Not Me,” “Love Is Alive,” and “Mama He’s Crazy.” As a songwriter, Naomi won the Country Music Song of the Year Grammy for “Love Can Build a Bridge.”

The beloved duo split up in 1991 when Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Despite a dire prognosis, she overcame the disease with treatment.

In addition to her musical success, Naomi pursued an acting career, starring in a wide variety of film genres from thrillers to romantic comedies, including An Evergreen Christmas, The Killing Game, Someone Like You (playing daughter, Ashley Judd’s make-up artist!), A Holiday Romance, More American Graffiti, and her one Western—Rio Diablo, in which she plays Flora Mae Pepper, the owner of a saloon that also serves as a safe house.

Over the years, the country superstar struggled with mental illness, including depression. Naomi Judd took her own life on April 30, 2022, the night before she and Wynonna were to be inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame.