Wynonna Judd is opening up about her reason for going on tour after her mother Naomi's tragic death. Naomi passed away on April 30, 2022. It took place one day before The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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When Naomi passed away, the duo had already announced their The Final Tour. Many would have understood if the tour was canceled, in light of the overwhelming grief Wynonna was experiencing. Wynonna reveals now why choosing to continue the tour without her mother became a way to both honor her legacy, and not let the tragedy of her death become her identity.
"I could either let that define me," Wynonna says on Clint Black's Talking in Circles podcast (via People). "Or give me permission to show everybody and myself that I could do it even in spite of the hellish time period that I went through, that I could still sing. And so I went on tour because those fans bought the tickets and they were there for me."
For Wynonna, she knew early on she didn't want to "stay home and complain," which is why she decided to go back to work.
How Wynonna Judd Is Healing After Her Mother's Death
Choosing to hit the road, albeit without her mother, is the only choice Wynonna could make.
"We have to celebrate the past because it's where we come from. But not be defined by it," Wynonna explains. "So I'm trying to go back and stop the car, read the map, and see where I'm going, because I'm making a record right now. But I'm also living in the past, I'm in the present, and singing in the future."
Both Wynonna and her sister Ashley have been vocal about the importance of mental health after Naomi's death. Wynonna chooses daily to not let the experience of her mother's passing overshadow her.
"I think you have to get to a place in your life where you realize you're not a victim," Wynonna says. "And all this crap has happened to me with mom committing suicide last year I had a choice to make."
Wynonna hasn't stopped working either. Her Wynonna Judd: The Greatest Hits Tour kicks off on June 7.
