Country Icon Wynonna Judd Shares Rare Photo to Honor Her Beloved Late Mother’s Birthday: ‘Why Aren’t You Here?’

Wynonna Judd is remembering her beloved late mother, Naomi Judd, on what would have been her 80th birthday. 

In a brand new post on social media, shared on Sunday, Jan. 11, Wynonna paid a heartfelt tribute to her momma, who served as one-half of the iconic country music mother-daughter duo, The Judds. On Instagram, Wynonna pointed out how she wished her mother could have marked the special occasion with family by her side.

“She would have been 80 today,” Wynonna captioned, looking back at a rare photo of her and Naomi together in what appeared to be a happy moment. “I still feel her everywhere.”

“She has 2 beautiful GREAT granddaughters we could be celebrating with,” the powerhouse vocalist, 61, added. “Why aren’t you here? I love you, Mom.”

In the snapshot, Wynonna can be seen embracing her mother wholeheartedly while planting a kiss on the matriarch’s cheek. Fans took to the comment section of Wynonna’s post, sending heavenly wishes to her mother as well. 

“Happy heavenly birthday, sweet Naomi. You are loved and missed by so many of your fans,” one fan wrote, while another person added, “Love this…so tender.”

The Judds Rose to Fame in the 1980s

Born Diana Ellen Judd in Ashland, Kentucky, on Jan. 11, 1946, Naomi (who legally changed her name in the 70s) is the mother of both Wynonna and actress Ashley Judd. With Wynonna, Naomi went on to form one of country music’s most legendary mother-daughter duos — The Judds. The successful act rose to prominence in the ‘80s, landing hits like “Had a Dream (For the Heart),” “Girls Night Out,” “Why Not Me,” and “Love Is Alive.” 

Naomi Judd Struggled With Mental Health Before Her Untimely Death

Naomi passed away at her Tennessee home on April 30, 2022, following a difficult battle with mental health struggles, which resulted in a self-inflicted gunshot wound. At the time, she was 76 years old. 

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