Why Wynonna Judd Will Never Stop Singing

Wynonna Judd

About Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Judd was one half of one of the most successful duos in country music history, and she’s also been plenty successful out on her own. She was last on the show nearly three years ago, back during the height of the pandemic, and a lot has happened since then. On April 30th, 2022, the day before the Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, she lost her mother, Naomi, to suicide, an event that upended her life and shook the world of country to its core. But Wynonna is back on her feet now, and she’s dealt with the emotional turmoil of that event by reconnecting with her fans and focusing on her music.

What Wynonna Judd Talks About On This Episode

  • The death of her mother, Naomi Judd
  • Her strong faith
  • Her connection and support of her fans
  • Life in Kentucky
  • Being exposed to all the religions and faiths growing up helped shape her music
  • Her Christmas album with her mom, ‘Christmas Time with the Judds’
  • Planning for Christmas as a grandmother
  • The impact of "It's Never Easy to Say Goodbye"
  • Playing the guitar and starting at an early age
  • Experiences with her fans

Quotes From Wynonna Judd

"I'm turning into my mother, I'll be honest. One of my memories of Mother is she used to take us out in the wilderness when we bought the farms. She had a farm right next to mine. We have a thousand acres. And she would take us out in the middle of the forest, and we would sit there with our candles and she would read the Christmas Story. And we would have to sit there. You know, Ashley had to pee. I was cold. And we would sit there and we would just let her ramble on because that's what mamas do. And we would go back to the house just frozen. And I'm going to do the same thing to my granddaughter. I'm going to make her go with me out in the woods, and I'm going to do crazy, eccentric things like my mother did. She taught my son how to poop in the woods. She did really weird stuff like that, and they never forgot it. So I want to be remembered for doing the fun stuff that maybe her mom wouldn't let her do." - Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Judd

I'm closer to my fans than I've ever been. It's an interesting time. Being an orphan, you realize, 'Okay, I am alone in the world without parents,' kind of thing. And then the flip side of that is I go to the airport and more people come up to me from all walks of life, not just country music listeners. Just the guy who says to me, 'I don't listen really to country music, but I know your story and I know your family. And I want you to know that I see you and I appreciate you.' And I have been healed through a very difficult time because of the love and support absolutely. The tour was, in itself, a remarkable experience because I don't know how I got through it. But with the help of the fans, I did.

— Wynonna Judd

"It's my job to make people cry. And I know that and I take that on very responsibly and lovingly because I know that people are going to experience their emotions of what they were going through. Because let's face it. A lot of these people in the audience grew up with me. And they faced all their demons and blessings along with me. They watched me. They felt like they could see themselves in me because I was struggling to see if I could make it on my own. And they were there for me. They were literally carrying me. They're my guardian angels at times, and I tell them this. Now that Mom's gone, they've become my family of choice. They really are my relatives. And I love them. And I look forward to seeing them. And they're in the audience with their T-shirts and their signs and their tears and their laughter through the songs, and I could feel it. Man, I could feel it onstage." - Wynonna Judd

About Biscuits & Jam

In the South, talking about food is personal. It's a way of sharing your history, your family, your culture, and yourself. Each week Sid Evans, editor in chief of Southern Living, sits down with celebrity musicians to hear stories of how they grew up, what inspired them, and how they've been shaped by Southern culture. Sid takes us back to some of their most cherished memories and traditions, the family meals they still think about, and their favorite places to eat on the road. Download and listen to this episode of Biscuits & Jam with Wynonna Judd on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or everywhere podcasts are available.

Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors

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