Naomi Judd and her two daughters — Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd — have all been open about the complex relationships they’ve navigated with each other over the years.
But in the wake of Naomi’s suicide in April 2022, Wynonna and Ashley put any differences between them in the past, coming together to support each other and their family as they healed from the devastating and highly public tragedy.
In a new interview with People, Naomi’s husband Larry Strickland says that his wife’s death served as a catalyst for her two daughters to get closer.
“They were forced together,” Strickland says.
He also says that he grew closer to both Wynonna and Ashley as the family mourned.
“It just really drove me closer to them because they’re what’s left of Naomi,” Strickland reflects.
“We were close, I think, always in the early years and later years, but the fact that Naomi’s gone and Wynonna and Ashley are the main part of her that’s left, and it’s what’s still here for me to cling to and have in my life,” he adds, saying that the tragedy meant the family had to be together, “whether we wanted to or not.”
Read More: Remember Naomi Judd’s Triumphant Final Performance?
- Throughout her career, Naomi Judd was candid about her lifelong battle with mental illness. She also spoke about the powerful, but at times challenged, relationships she had with both her daughters.
- Both of the younger Judds have spoken about the trauma they sustained during childhood, and Ashley has shared her experience of being sexually assaulted at seven years old.
- Leading up to her death, Ashley and Wynonna had been estranged from each other for years.
- In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Wynonna detailed the hard, gratifying work that it took for her and her sister to reunite.
- “We [had] one of the most difficult conversations we’ve ever had,” she said, “and we got through it. And nobody was hurt.”
Next month, a new documentary called The Judds: Truth Be Told will premiere on Lifetime. Featuring interviews from Wynonna, Ashley and Strickland, the four-part series will dig deep into the Judds’ family dynamic.
Read More: The Judds Documentary Trailer Previews Tremendous Pain + Suffering
The Judds: Truth Be Told will air on May 10 and 11. The documentary will also feature archival footage and home video, plus unreleased songs and audio.
How to Watch the Judd Family Documentary
The new documentary about the Judd family is called The Judd Family: Truth Be Told, and it airs on May 10 at 8PM ET on Lifetime. Those who don’t have cable can stream the channel through services including Philo, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV.
The Judds Best Songs – Top 10 Hits From Wynonna and Naomi Judd
The Judds have 14 No. 1 songs and dominated Duo and Group of the Year awards at both the CMA and ACM Awards during the 1980s. They also recorded several dozen great songs that never made radio. Here are their Top 10 songs ever.
PICTURES: See Inside Naomi Judd’s Elegant Rural Estate
Naomi Judd’s rural estate has come up for rent, and it’s a home fit for a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
