Wynonna Judd Details Her Final Moments at Naomi Judd’s Side

As the Judds officially entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in an induction ceremony on Sunday (May 1), Wynonna Judd gave a tearful acceptance speech that also served as a remembrance of her mom and duo partner, Naomi Judd, who unexpectedly died just one day earlier.

From the stage, Wynonna spoke candidly about her grief and shock. She recounted the final moments she spent with her mother, as her sister — actor Ashley Judd, who also spoke at the event — stood at her side.

“This is the first time I’ve talked since saying goodbye,” Wynonna said, seeming both composed and devastated as she stood in front of the lectern. “At 2:20, I kissed her on the forehead and I walked away, and this is the first place I’ve been.”

In their original statement announcing Naomi’s death, Ashley and Wynonna said that they had “lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” but didn’t elaborate further as to her cause of death. Likewise, in her statement at the Hall of Fame, Wynonna didn’t share specific context, but she did offer fans vivid details about her powerful final moments at her mother’s side.

“The last thing we did together as a family with her was [Naomi’s brother] Uncle Mark and them, we all gathered around her and we said ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want …’ Wynonna recounted. She then went on to read Psalm 23 in its entirety, clasping hands with Ashley, who recited along with her.

An audibly moved crowd erupted into applause at the end of Wynonna’s speech. Before she left the stage, she blew a kiss to the sky.

Watch the video below to see Wynonna’s moving full tribute to her late mother at the Country Music Hall of Fame:

News of Naomi Judd’s death arrived one day before the Hall of Fame was set to hold its Medallion Ceremony honoring its new class of inductees. Per the Judd family’s wishes, the Hall decided to go ahead with the ceremony as planned. Carly Pearce, Timmy Simms and Gillian Welch with Davis Rawlings were there to give tribute performances honoring the Judds.

The other 2022 inductees celebrated at the event were Ray Charles, Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and the War and Treaty were a few of the artists who honored them with tribute performances.