Wynonna Ellen Judd is an American
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name
Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother,
NaomiNaomi Judd is an American country music singer, songwriter, and activist.-Personal life:She was born Diana Ellen Judd to Charles Glen Judd and his wife Pauline Judd on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky. Her father owned a gas station; her mother started out as a homemaker but later became a...
, in the country music duo
The JuddsThe Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
. The duo released seven albums on
Curb RecordsCurb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
, in addition to charting 26 singles, of which 14 were number one hits.
After The Judds disbanded in 1991, Wynonna began a solo career, also on Curb. In her solo career, she has released eight studio albums, a live album and a compilation album, in addition to charting more than 20 singles of her own. Her first three singles — "
She Is His Only Need"She Is His Only Need" is the title of a song written by Dave Loggins and performed by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was Judd's first solo single, after spending nine years alongside her mother, Naomi Judd, in The Judds...
", "I Saw the Light" and "
No One Else on Earth"No One Else on Earth" is a 1992 song performed by Wynonna. The third single from Wynonna's self-titled debut album, it was also that album's third Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts....
" — all reached number one on the U.S. country singles charts, as did 1996's "
To Be Loved by You"To Be Loved by You" is a 1996 song performed by Wynonna. The first single from Wynonna's Revelations album, it was also that album's first Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.-Chart performance:...
". Three of her albums are certified platinum or higher by the RIAA. Her most recent recording,
Sing: Chapter 1Sing: Chapter 1 is a studio album from country music singer Wynonna Judd, released on February 3, 2009. It is her seventh solo studio album and the follow-up to her 2003 album What the World Needs Now Is Love and her holiday-themed 2006 release A Classic Christmas...
, was released on February 3, 2009. Wynonna is most recognized for her musical work, although starting in the 2000s, has also pursued other interests, including acting and
philanthropyPhilanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
.
Early life
Wynonna was born Christina Claire Ciminella in
Ashland, KentuckyAshland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
, on May 30, 1964. She was given the last name Ciminella after Michael Ciminella, the man her mother quickly married after being abandoned by her boyfriend and Judd's biological father, Charles Jordan. Jordan died in 2000. Her younger half-sister is actress
Ashley JuddAshley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
. Naomi and Ciminella moved, with the girls, to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1968, but divorced in 1972. By 1976, Wynonna and Naomi were living in
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
where Wynonna took inspiration from the
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
that her mother listened to and learned to play guitar after receiving one for Christmas. The two of them moved to
Nashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 1979 in pursuit of a musical career.
The Judds
Wynonna and Naomi were signed to
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1983 as the duo
The JuddsThe Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
. Between 1983 and 1991, The Judds charted 23 hit singles on the
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles (now
Hot Country SongsHot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts, including 14 number ones. They also recorded eight studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations. In their six-year career, The Judds sold more than 20 million records worldwide and had won over 60 industry awards including five
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, nine
Country Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards ( seven of them consecutive ) and eight
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Music Awards. At the time, they were the biggest-selling duo in country music, and would remain so until they were eclipsed by
Brooks & DunnBrooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
in the 1990s. Although Wynonna sang lead vocals on all of the duo's songs, Naomi ran the duo. The mother/daughter relationship has always been tumultuous, with Wynonna always late and forgetful and Naomi being critical of her daughter.
A chronic bout of
hepatitis CHepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
forced Naomi into retirement following a 1991 farewell tour. After the duo broke up, Wynonna signed to
MCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
in association with
Curb RecordsCurb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
as a solo artist.
1992 — 1998: Breakthrough success
On April 2, 1992, Wynonna performed solo on television for the first time at the American Music Awards. She unveiled "
She Is His Only Need"She Is His Only Need" is the title of a song written by Dave Loggins and performed by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was Judd's first solo single, after spending nine years alongside her mother, Naomi Judd, in The Judds...
", the first single from her self-titled solo debut album. This album,
WynonnaWynonna is the debut album of American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was released in 1992 on MCA Records in association with Curb Records as her first solo debut album...
, was released in 1992 via MCA/Curb, under the production of
Tony BrownTony Brown is an American country music record producer.He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.Brown played piano for Elvis Presley. He toured with the TCB Band for much of Presley's final two years and was a part of the 1976 "Jungle Room" recording sessions at Graceland...
. "She Is His Only Need" went to Number One on the
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country singles charts that year, as did the album's next two singles, "I Saw the Light" and "
No One Else on Earth"No One Else on Earth" is a 1992 song performed by Wynonna. The third single from Wynonna's self-titled debut album, it was also that album's third Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts....
", the former of which was also the Number One country song of 1992 according to
Billboard Year-EndBillboard Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in the United States, based upon the Billboard magazine charts during any given chart year. Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November...
. "She Is His Only Need" and "No One Else on Earth" were also minor Adult Contemporary hits, and the latter peaked at #83 on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. "
My Strongest Weakness"My Strongest Weakness" is a 1992 song performed by Wynonna. The fourth and final single from Wynonna's self-titled debut album, it peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.-Chart performance:...
", the album's final single, was a #4 country hit. The album shipped five million copies in the United States, earning a 5× Multi-Platinum certification from the RIAA.
Her second album,
Tell Me WhyTell Me Why is a 1993 album by American country music artist Wynonna. Released on MCA/Curb Records in 1993, the album produced the hit singles "Only Love", "Is It Over Yet", "Rock Bottom", and "Girls with Guitars", all Top Ten hits on the Billboard country music charts...
, was released by MCA/Curb in 1993. Also a platinum-selling album, it accounted for five consecutive Top Ten hits on the country charts: the
title track"Tell Me Why" is the title of a song written by Karla Bonoff and recorded by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was released in 1993 as the first single from Judd's album Tell Me Why. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in May 1993 and #1 on the RPM...
, "Only Love", "Is It Over Yet", "Rock Bottom" and "Girls with Guitars", which was written by
Mary Chapin CarpenterMary Chapin Carpenter is an American folk and country music artist. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records, who marketed her as a country singer...
. "Tell Me Why" was her third crossover hit, peaking at #77 on the pop charts and #24 on the Adult Contemporary charts. Between "Tell Me Why" and "Only Love", she sang guest vocals on
Clint BlackClint Patrick Black is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor. Signed to RCA Records in 1989, Black made his debut with his Killin' Time album, which produced four straight Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
's 1993 single "
A Bad Goodbye"A Bad Goodbye" is the title of a song written by American country music artist Clint Black and recorded Black and Wynonna. The song was recorded after the two toured together during their "Black and Wy" tour in 1993. Serving as the lead-off single to Black's 1993 album, No Time to Kill, it peaked...
" (from the album
No Time to KillNo Time to Kill is a 1993 album by country singer-songwriter Clint Black. The title is a play on the title of his debut album, Killin' Time....
), which became her biggest pop hit at #43. The success of this song led to a tour called the Black & Wy tour, featuring Black and Wynonna as headliners.
In 1994, she also made an appearance on the
Lynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
tribute album
Skynyrd Frynds-Albums:-Singles:...
, on which she covered their song "
Free Bird"Free Bird" is a song by the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
". She also sang duet vocals on pop/Christian singer Michael English's debut single "Healing", which peaked at #120 on the pop charts. After "Girls with Guitars" fell from the charts, Wynonna became the subject of negative publicity as she had a child out of wedlock. She was absent from the country charts for all of 1995, and in response to feedback from conservative fans, she married Arch Kelly, the father of her son, in 1996.
RevelationsRevelations is the title of the third studio album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. Her first album since Tell Me Why three years previous, it was released in 1996 on MCA Records in association with Curb Records...
was the title of her third album, released by MCA/Curb in 1996. Also certified platinum, this album was led off by her fourth and final Number One hit, the Mike Reid/
Gary BurrGary Burr, born in Meriden, Connecticut, is an American musician and songwriter and producer, mostly known for his stable of hits recorded by country music performers. Burr began his career as a member of the group Pure Prairie League from 1982 to 1985, taking over after Vince Gill departed the group...
co-write "
To Be Loved by You"To Be Loved by You" is a 1996 song performed by Wynonna. The first single from Wynonna's Revelations album, it was also that album's first Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.-Chart performance:...
". Despite this song's minor Adult Contemporary success, the album's other three singles did not fare as well: "Heaven Help My Heart" peaked at #14, while both "My Angel Is Here" and "Somebody to Love You" missed Top 40 entirely.
Wynonna's fourth and final album for MCA was titled
The Other SideThe Other Side is the title of the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was released in 1997 on Curb Records in association with Universal Records...
. Unlike her previous country pop-oriented albums, this album focused on a more blues and
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
sound. It was released in 1997 and it produced four singles. The album did not sell as well as her first three, however, only earning a gold certification. Its singles were not as successful on the charts, either: although "When Love Starts Talkin'" and "Come Some Rainy Day" reached #13 and #14 respectively, "Always Will" fell short of Top 40 and "Love Like That" became the first single of her career not to chart at all. After the release of a greatest hits album called
CollectionCollection is the title of the first compilation album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. The standard version of the album reprises eleven tracks from her first three studio albums: her 1992 self-titled debut, 1993's Tell Me Why, and 1996's Revelations...
, Wynonna left MCA in favor of
Mercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
.
2000–2004: Success in the new millennium
In 2000, Wynonna decided to reunite with her mother for a tour, beginning on
New Year's DayNew Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
. A month later, Wynonna released her fifth solo album,
New Day DawningNew Day Dawning is the title of the fifth studio album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. The album produced only two chart singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts: "Can't Nobody Love You " at #31, and "Going Nowhere" at #43...
. This album, the first of her career that Wynonna co-produced, included a four-song bonus disc entitled
Big Bang Boogie, composed of four new Judds songs.
New Day Dawning produced the minor singles "Can't Nobody Love You (Like I Do)" and "Going Nowhere". "Stuck in Love", one of the songs from
Big Bang Boogie, also had minor chart success, peaking at #26.
What the World Needs Now Is LoveWhat the World Needs Now Is Love is the title of American country music artist Wynonna Judd's sixth studio album. Released in 2003 as her first album for Asylum-Curb Records, the album produced four chart singles. The first of these, which was the title track, reached #14 on the Billboard country...
, released in August 2003, was Wynonna's first album for the Asylum-Curb Records label. Lead-off single "What the World Needs" reached the Top 20 on the country charts, followed by the lesser singles "Heaven Help Me" and "Flies on the Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)", at #37 and #33 respectively. This latter song, originally recorded by
Lari WhiteLari Michele White is an American country music artist and actress. She first gained national attention in 1992 as a winner on You Can Be a Star, a talent competition which aired on The Nashville Network...
on her album
Stepping StoneStepping Stone is the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Lari White. Released on July 28, 1998 as her first album for Lyric Street Records after leaving RCA Nashville...
, featured backing vocals from Naomi, and was credited on the charts as "Wynonna with Naomi Judd" instead of The Judds. Judd had success on the
Hot Dance AirplayDance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it...
charts with a cover of
ForeignerForeigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
's "
I Want to Know What Love Is"I Want to Know What Love Is" is a 1984 power ballad recorded by the British-American rock band Foreigner. The song hit #1 in both the UK and the U.S. and is the band's biggest hit...
". Her rendition peaked at #12 on that chart in 2005. Also included on
What the World Needs Now Is Love were two songs from soundtracks: a cover of the
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
hit "
Burning Love"Burning Love" is a song written by Dennis Linde, first recorded by Arthur Alexander, who included it on his self-titled 1971 album, and made famous by Elvis Presley, who took it to #2 in the United States in 1972...
", which Wynonna recorded for the animated movie
Lilo & StitchThis article is about the movie. For the television series, see Lilo & Stitch: The Series.Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released on June 21, 2002...
, and "You Are", which was included in the movie
Someone Like YouSomeone Like You is a 2001 romantic comedy film, based on Laura Zigman's novel Animal Husbandry which tells a story of a heartbroken woman who is looking for the reason she was dumped. The film stars Ashley Judd, Greg Kinnear, Hugh Jackman and Marisa Tomei and was directed by Tony Goldwyn...
, a film starring half-sister Ashley Judd.
2005 – present: New career directions
Her second release for Asylum-Curb was a live CD/DVD package called
Her Story: Scenes from a LifetimeHer Story: Scenes from a Lifetime is the title of a two-disc live compilation album released in 2005 by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. The album was recorded live at the Grand Ole Opry house on February 1, 2005. It features a mix of Wynonna's solo songs, songs that she originally...
, released in 2005. The album included one new studio track, "Attitude". Written by Wynonna and
John RichJohn Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist...
of
Big & RichBig & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
, this song was issued as a single, peaking at #40 on the country charts. One year later, she released her autobiography,
Coming Home to Myself, followed by a Christmas album called
A Classic ChristmasA Classic Christmas is the first Christmas album from American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It features her renditions of traditional Christmas tunes, and one newly written track, "It's the Messiah"...
. She also sang an overdubbed duet with
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
on the late 2008 album
Christmas DuetsChristmas Duets is a 2008 album released by RCA Records, consisting of archival Elvis Presley recordings mixed with modern vocals by contemporary country and gospel singers....
.
Sing: Chapter 1Sing: Chapter 1 is a studio album from country music singer Wynonna Judd, released on February 3, 2009. It is her seventh solo studio album and the follow-up to her 2003 album What the World Needs Now Is Love and her holiday-themed 2006 release A Classic Christmas...
, her first studio album in six years, was released on February 3, 2009. This album is largely composed of cover songs, except for the title track, an original composition by
Rodney CrowellRodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
. It also reunites her with producers Brent Maher and
Don PotterDon Potter is an American musician and producer in Nashville, Tennessee. A longstanding producer for Wynonna Judd, he has become known as "the man who created the Judds' sound".-Musical career:...
, who produced all of The Judds' 1980s albums. This album's lead-off single is "
I Hear You Knocking"I Hear You Knocking" is a popular rhythm and blues song with emphatic syncopation, written by Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King and published in 1955. The original recording was made by Smiley Lewis, reaching #2 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.The lyrics concern a former lover whose knocking at...
", a blues standard first recorded by
Smiley LewisSmiley Lewis was an American New Orleans rhythm and blues musician. The journalist, Tony Russell, in his book The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, stated "Lewis was the unluckiest man in New Orleans...
. On May 9, 2009 a seven song EP containing dance remixes of the title track was released.
Wynonna and Naomi, also known as the Judds, will reunite in 2010, which will include a new album release and tour. The tours name is "The Last Encore," which will include 18 shows.
On September 14, 2010, The Judds appeared on
The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
where Wynonna discussed "her recent weight loss, her year of living dangerously and what it's like going back on stage as part of the iconic duo, The Judds." The Judds also performed their new single "I Will Stand By You", released Oct 4, 2010.. "I Will Stand By You" was released as the title track to the Judd's 2011 Greatest Hits collection
A new single, "Love it Out Loud" was released in May 2011. On November 27, 2011 Wynonna debuted her new band "Wynonna & The Big Noise" in Nashville, TN at 3rd and Lindsley. Wynonna will begin recording a new album in December for Curb/Asylum.
Television
Judd provided the voice of the rock star Molly Cule in the cartoon
The Magic School BusThe Magic School Bus is an American Saturday morning animated television series based on the book series of the same name by Joanna Cole. It is notable for its use of celebrity talent and combining entertainment with an educational show, according to an article in Animation World Magazine by...
(Meets Molly Cule). During the fifth season of
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
, Judd guest starred as a singer whose son was dying of cystic fibrosis.In the year 2005 Judd was a guest star on the show
Hope & FaithHope & Faith is an American sitcom that aired for three seasons on ABC from September 26, 2003, to May 2, 2006. For its first two seasons the show was part of a revived TGIF comedy block....
in the episode "Wife Swap: Part 1 and Part 2" where she played the mean and rich Cynthia. In 2007, Wynonna starred in a special television event on NBC honoring her 23 year career titled "Wynonna: A Tribute on Ice", which featured skating champions such as Kimmie Meissner and Brian Boitano. Both Wynonna and Naomi performed on this special. Additionally, in 2007, Wynonna hosted the fourth season of USA Network's
Nashville Star. She also appeared as herself on the
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom
Kath & KimKath & Kim is a Logie Award-winning character-driven Australian television situation comedy series. The series was created by, and is written by Jane Turner and Gina Riley who play the title characters: a suburban mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship...
. In August 2009, she guest starred as herself on the 10th anniversary of
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with
Regis PhilbinRegis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
for Backpack Ministries. In May 2010, she guest starred as herself on Lifetime's
Army Wives.
Awards and nominations
Wynonna won the ACM Female Artist of the Year award in 1994. Not being present at the ceremony, her mother Naomi accepted the award on Wynonna's behalf.
In 2007, Wynonna was presented with a star on the Music City Walk of Fame.
In 2005, she received the
USO's Merit Award for service to all divisions of the United States Armed Forces and teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to record "Heart of America", with Michael McDonald and Eric Benet which in turn helped raise over $90 million dollars for victims of natural disasters to the Gulf Coast. She continues to bring attention to the global emergency of AIDS in her fourth year as United States Ambassador for YouthAIDS.
Additional Interests
On June 7, 2008, Wynonna sat down for a live Internet chat for her fans in which she was asked questions submitted during the session. Over 6,000 fans signed up in a 5 minute span causing the server to crash. A total of 18,000 fans eventually logged on to watch Wynonna's chat live via
StickamStickam is a website devoted to live-streaming video, featuring both professional and user-generated content. The site launched in 2005. Stickam features user-submitted pictures, audio, video, and most prominently, live streaming video chat...
.com. She also lent her voice to an international music documentary on BBC radio about
Stevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
. In 2009, she also became the spokeswoman for alli, the only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss product, which features the artist in a national marketing campaign.
Personal life
Wynonna met Arch Kelley III in 1993, and their son Elijah Judd was born on December 23, 1994, in Nashville by C-section. She married Kelley on January 21, 1996, when she was four months pregnant with their second child. Their daughter Grace Pauline was born June 21, 1996. Kelley was an observer rather than a participant in his wife's fame and felt out of place in her world. He settled into the role of househusband on her 500 acres (2 km²) farm outside of Nashville. They divorced in 1998.
Wynonna's second husband was her former bodyguard, D. R. Roach, whom she married on November 22, 2003, in Tennessee. On March 22, 2007, Roach was arrested for sexual assault of a child under the age of 13; Judd filed for divorce five days later.
In November 2003, just two weeks before her DUI arrest, Wynonna taped an appearance of an episode of
The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
discussing what she described as a "severe" dependency on food. The episode aired in February 2004. Judd had been working with the show in an effort to lose a significant amount of weight and get to the root of her dependency. In September 2005, Wynonna made a second appearance on the show, discussing how she had lost some weight, had patched up relationships with her mother and with the man she considered "her dad", Michael Ciminella, from whom she had been estranged for almost a decade.
Wynonna was also a judge for the 6th annual
Independent Music AwardsThe Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
to support independent artists' careers.
On July 21, 2010, Judd, along with her daughter and tour manager were involved in a
head-on collisionA head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
in
Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, on their way to a sushi restaurant. The three of them were taken to a hospital where their injuries were treated, and all three were released at midnight that evening.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1992: Wynonna
Wynonna is the debut album of American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was released in 1992 on MCA Records in association with Curb Records as her first solo debut album...
- 1993: Tell Me Why
- 1996: Revelations
Revelations is the title of the third studio album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. Her first album since Tell Me Why three years previous, it was released in 1996 on MCA Records in association with Curb Records...
- 1997: The Other Side
The Other Side is the title of the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It was released in 1997 on Curb Records in association with Universal Records...
- 2000: New Day Dawning
New Day Dawning is the title of the fifth studio album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. The album produced only two chart singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts: "Can't Nobody Love You " at #31, and "Going Nowhere" at #43...
- 2003: What the World Needs Now is Love
What the World Needs Now Is Love is the title of American country music artist Wynonna Judd's sixth studio album. Released in 2003 as her first album for Asylum-Curb Records, the album produced four chart singles. The first of these, which was the title track, reached #14 on the Billboard country...
- 2009: Sing: Chapter 1
Sing: Chapter 1 is a studio album from country music singer Wynonna Judd, released on February 3, 2009. It is her seventh solo studio album and the follow-up to her 2003 album What the World Needs Now Is Love and her holiday-themed 2006 release A Classic Christmas...
Compilation albums
- 1997: Collection
Collection is the title of the first compilation album released by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. The standard version of the album reprises eleven tracks from her first three studio albums: her 1992 self-titled debut, 1993's Tell Me Why, and 1996's Revelations...
- 2005: Her Story: Scenes from a Lifetime
Her Story: Scenes from a Lifetime is the title of a two-disc live compilation album released in 2005 by American country music artist Wynonna Judd. The album was recorded live at the Grand Ole Opry house on February 1, 2005. It features a mix of Wynonna's solo songs, songs that she originally...
- 2010: Love Heals
Holiday albums
- 2006: A Classic Christmas
A Classic Christmas is the first Christmas album from American country music artist Wynonna Judd. It features her renditions of traditional Christmas tunes, and one newly written track, "It's the Messiah"...
Soundtracks
- 1996: The Associate
The Associate is the original motion picture soundtrack of the self-titled movie from 1996, starring Whoopi Goldberg, the winner of a Grammy, seven Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony, as well as an Oscar....
External links