Naomi Judd, Who Raised Her 2 Daughters, Hid a Big Secret from One of Them for 30 Years – Their Story
Naomi Judd and her daughter Wynonna dominated country music as the mother-daughter duo, The Judds. Their bond seemed unbreakable on stage, but their relationship was far more complicated. A secret, kept for decades, would later leave one daughter questioning everything she thought she knew about her past.
Before Naomi Judd became a country music star, she faced overwhelming struggles as a young mother. Raising two daughters on her own, she worked tirelessly to provide them with a better life, often making difficult decisions along the way.
Her children grew up under very different circumstances, shaping their unique relationships with their mother. Naomi’s past, and the choices she made, would later come back to haunt her—especially when a long-held secret was finally revealed.
Naomi’s Early Life and Struggles as a Young Mother
Naomi was born Diana Ellen Judd in Ashland, Kentucky, where she grew up in a middle-class family.
At just 17, Naomi became pregnant and was forced into a quick marriage to Michael Ciminella, the man she later described as a way to give her baby a name. She gave birth to her first daughter, Christina Claire Ciminella—later known as Wynonna—just as she graduated high school.
Four years later, she had her second daughter, Ashley, before divorcing and moving away to start over. In Los Angeles, Naomi took on multiple jobs to support her daughters, working as a secretary, model, and even a receptionist for The Fifth Dimension’s manager.
Determined to build a better future, she enrolled in nursing school while balancing
Despite their circumstances, Naomi held onto hope, trading a prized possession — a buck knife — to buy Wynonna her first guitar. Music became their escape, a bond that would later launch them into country music history. Naomi would go on to become a successful
While Naomi’s sacrifices allowed her and Wynonna to build a future in music, her younger daughter, Ashley, experienced a very different reality. Unlike Wynonna, who spent years touring with their mother, Ashley was often left at home.
Naomi and Wynonna Judd during ACM Presents: Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country concert on April 4, 2011 | Source: Getty Images
Ashley’s Childhood: Growing Up Without Her Mother and Sister
While Wynonna toured the country with Naomi, Ashley Judd’s upbringing looked very different. Unlike her sister, who was always by their mother’s side, Ashley spent much of her childhood away from them, often feeling isolated and disconnected.
Ashley later revealed in
She described long periods of loneliness, feeling like an outsider in her own family. Her childhood was also marked by trauma. Ashley disclosed that she was sexually abused by multiple men, including a family member, and was exposed to inappropriate situations at a young age due to Naomi’s relationships with different men.
While her mother and sister were building a music career, Ashley struggled with depression, abandonment, and feelings of neglect. As she grew older, Ashley carved out her own path, separate from The Judds. She went on to become a
While Ashley struggled with loneliness and instability during her childhood, Wynonna faced challenges of her own. For years, she believed she understood her place in the family, never questioning her identity. But at 30 years old, a secret Naomi had kept from her for decades would change everything.
Wynonna Judd pictured in Hollywood, California on October 27, 2006 | Source: Getty Images
The Truth Wynonna Never Knew—Until She Was 30
For three decades, Wynonna Judd believed Michael was her father. She had no reason to question it—he was the man Naomi had married as a teenager, the man whose last name she carried. But at 30 years old, Wynonna learned the truth: her biological father was someone she had never even known about.
While Wynonna remained unaware of the truth, her younger sister, Ashley, had known since childhood that they had different fathers. The revelation shook Wynonna to her core. “The first thing I said was, ‘It’s okay.’ And of course, I’m raging inside,” she later
Ashley believed the secrecy had done more harm than the truth itself. “Not knowing the truth is what has messed her up rather than having found out,” she
For Wynonna, the news changed everything. But even after learning the truth, she didn’t immediately seek out her biological father’s side of the family. It would take nearly three more decades before she finally made contact with her half-brother.
Wynonna Judd at the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 on September 9, 2007 in Joliet, Illinois | Source: Getty Images
Wynonna’s Long Road to Finding Her Half-Brother
Although Wynonna learned the truth about her father in 1993, she did not immediately reach out to his family. For years, the revelation lingered in the background of her life, something she had to process on her own. It wasn’t until 2020—nearly three decades later—that she finally made contact with her half-brother, Michael.
On his birthday, Wynonna picked up the phone and called him for the first time. She recorded the moment, capturing herself
Wynonna Judd performs at “A Night of HOPE” on November 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada | Source: Getty Images
True to her artistry, Wynonna planned to incorporate the recorded conversation into a song, using music as a way to process her emotions. She reflected on the experience,
Reaching out to her half-brother gave Wynonna answers about her past, but it did not resolve the complicated relationship she had with her mother.
Wynonna Judd performs at the 2008 “Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival” – Day 2 on May 3, 2008 in Indio, California | Source: Getty Images
A Complicated Mother-Daughter Relationship
Naomi and Wynonna had been connected not just as mother and daughter but as musical partners, spending years touring together as The Judds. Their bond was intense, but it was often tense. Naomi had Wynonna at a young age, and for much of their lives, it was just the two of them against the world.
That closeness, however, also led to conflict. Over the years, their relationship was marked by periods of estrangement and reconciliation. Naomi
Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd sing during the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial celebration on November 13, 2006 in Washington, DC | Source: Getty Images
She also
But there were also deeper emotional struggles between them, ones that therapy and time could not always fix. “Wy bore the brunt of all the mistakes I made, and we talk about them,” she
Despite their ups and downs, they still shared a deep connection that remained unbreakable. But Naomi had issues that would later create even more distance between them.
Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd attend the 5th Annual TV Land Awards in Santa Monica, California | Source: Getty Images
Naomi’s Battle with Mental Illness
While Naomi and Wynonna worked to navigate their complicated relationship, Naomi was facing a private battle of her own. For years, she struggled with severe depression and anxiety. By 2011, her mental health had reached a devastating low. Her depression worsened after The Judds’ “Last Encore” tour.
Without the structure of performing, she felt lost. “My whole life had meaning and purpose, and I lost my purpose,” Naomi
Naomi Judd performs during day 2 of “Stagecoach,” California’s Country Music Festival on May 3, 2008 in Indio, California | Source: Getty Images
Her condition led to multiple hospitalizations and a regimen of heavy medications. She later revealed that the side effects of her treatment were physically and emotionally exhausting. “My hands shake real bad—medication, nothing I can do about it. And my face, I feel like a balloon,” she
But for a while, she kept the full extent of her illness hidden—even from her eldest daughter. At one point, she was hospitalized for treatment but did not tell Wynonna until after she had spent over a week in a psychiatric ward. Naomi later admitted that she kept her distance because she feared how Wynonna would react.
Wynonna Judd at the 2008 ALMA Awards on August 17, 2008 in Pasadena, California | Source: Getty Images
“We are so empathic, we can look at each other and absolutely fall in each other’s arms crying without saying a word,” she
She later admitted that neither of her daughters nor her husband, Larry Strickland, could fully help her escape the darkness she was experiencing. In 2016, she opened up about her struggles in her memoir, “River of Time,” revealing that her condition was treatment-resistant, meaning most medications and therapies did little to help.
Naomi Judd visited “Varney & Co” at Fox News Channel Studios on December 8, 2017 in New York City | Photo: Getty Images
“I know I can backslide,” she
Naomi’s Final Years and Tragic Passing
Despite years of therapy, medication, and hospitalizations, her depression had not eased. She had long spoken about how isolating her illness was. She had
On April 30, 2022, just one day before she and Wynonna were set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Naomi died by suicide at the age of 76. Her daughters released a statement confirming the heartbreaking news.
“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” it
She reflected on Naomi’s determination in life,
In the weeks leading up to Naomi’s death, Wynonna had been on tour and admitted that they had been somewhat disconnected. Naomi had often spoken about how lonely she felt at home without her daughters.
Wynonna’s final memory of her mother was at the CMT Awards on April 11, 2022, where they performed “Love Can Build a Bridge” together. “The last thing I said to her was ‘I love you,’ and I’m so grateful for that,” she
Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd attend the 2022 CMT Music Awards on April 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee | Source: Getty Images
Ashley and Wynonna Today: Carrying On Their Mother’s Legacy
In the wake of Naomi’s passing, Ashley and Wynonna took different paths in grieving and honoring their mother. Wynonna, who had spent most of her life performing alongside Naomi, chose to continue The Judds’ Final Tour as a tribute.
Though she had originally planned to tour with her mother, she instead took the stage with guest artists, including Brandi Carlile, Faith Hill, and Trisha Yearwood. For the
She dedicated every performance during the tour to Naomi, ensuring her mother’s legacy lived on. Ashley continues her work in activism, focusing on mental health awareness and women’s rights. She has been a vocal advocate for suicide prevention, urging others to have open conversations about mental illness.
Through their advocacy, performances, and continued work, Ashley and Wynonna have made sure their mother’s voice is not forgotten. Naomi Judd’s story will live on for generations to come.
