Wynonna Judd reflects on the death of her mother and The Judds partner, Naomi Judd, in a new conversation with CBS Sunday Morning, the first television interview she’s given since Naomi died in late April.
“I did not know that she was at the place she was at when she ended it,” Wynonna shares in a preview clip aired ahead of the full segment.
Naomi died by suicide after a lifelong battle with mental illness. But, as Wynonna points out, Naomi had frequently gone through difficult periods in the past, so her death came as a shock, even to those closest to her.
“That’s the challenge with mental illness. It’s really, really mysterious,” Wynonna continues, adding that in the wake of her mother’s suicide, she struggles with wondering if there was a way she could have predicted or changed the course of those tragic events.
“Was there anything I should have looked for, or should have known? I didn’t,” she says. “That’s why it’s such a shock.”
The singer says that Naomi’s mental health battles created intense highs and lows. “…It’s this incredibly dark and light experience. She had incredibly great days in the middle of the dark days. That’s why it’s so confusing,” Wynonna explains.
Naomi died just one day before The Judds were scheduled to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. This fall, Wynonna will embark on the tour she and Naomi planned as their final tour.
The shows have been recast as an all-star, all-female lineup featuring appearances from acts like Ashley McBryde, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town and Faith Hill. Original opener Martina McBride will remain on the bill for all shows.
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