The Truth About Naomi Judd's Relationship With Her Famous Daughters

Naomi Judd's death at the age of 76 has people talking not only about her illustrious and successful career as a country music star, but also all of the headlines she's made because of her personal life throughout the years. Even though she's known as one of the most celebrated artists in the music industry, with 14 No. 1 hit singles, Naomi was also open about her struggles with mental illness and living with severe depression. She told "Good Morning America" in 2016, "They see me in rhinestones, you know, with glitter in my hair, that really is who I am," before adding, "But then I would come home and not leave the house for three weeks, and not get out of my pajamas, and not practice normal hygiene."

That said, Naomi's relationship with her two daughters, Ashley and Wynonna Judd, has not been easy, either. And that's not just because of Naomi's personal struggles, but also because of some of the circumstances from their upbringing. Even though Naomi and Wynonna became one of the most successful duos in country music, while Ashley has always been a big name in the movie biz, their humble beginnings were far from the glitz and glamour they've become accustomed to in both Nashville and Hollywood.

Naomi Judd got pregnant at age 17 in 1964 and ultimately became a single mother who lived off welfare, per The Washington Post. Soon after Wynonna's father disappeared upon hearing about Naomi's pregnancy, she married Michael Ciminella, with whom she welcomed Ashley four years later, according to The New York Times. In her book, "River of Time," Naomi detailed her relationship with her daughters and admitted that, back in 2016, she was estranged from Wynonna. According to People, Naomi and Wynonna had grown apart after filming their reality series "The Judds" in 2011. "I'm always telling her, 'If I'd known better I would've done better,'" Naomi wrote.

Her relationship with Ashley was different. "Ashley and I are so stinking much alike. We have the same mannerisms. We both read a whole lot. We both love new places. There's such similarities," she said. However, Ashley did write in her memoir, "All That is Bitter and Sweet," that she was a victim of incest and abuse during her childhood, according to ABC News. Ashley also told Access Hollywood that it was her mother who had encouraged her to speak out about Harvey Weinstein and his alleged sexual harassment by telling her, "Honey, go get him." That said, Naomi and Wynonna did patch up their relationship and made a comeback together at the 2022 CMT Awards. There's no doubt Wynonna and Ashley miss their talented mother as much as her fans do.