Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Judd is an American country music artist who was an original member of the mother-daughter duo, The Judds.

Early Career

Growing up in the mountains of Tennessee, Wynonna Judd began playing guitar and singing as a young teen. The family was on welfare and did not have television and the radio was their only entertainment. Wynonna and her mother, Naomi Judd began singing together in harmony and at the age of 15 her mother moved them to Nashville seeking a career in music. They landed a contract with RCA Records in 1983 and began working on their debut album as The Judds.

The Judds

The Judds released their debut album, The Judds: Wynonna and Naomi, in 1984 and it climbed the country charts to number eight. They followed it with another release the same year titled Why Not Me which soared to the number one position on the country charts. They released a total of eight studio albums and won a total of sixty-one awards in which six were Grammy Awards.

In 1991, the duo ended when Naomi Judd was diagnosed with hepatitis C and retired.

Wynonna's Solo Career

After her mother retired, Wynonna Judd began a solo career known as Wynonna. In 1992, Wynonna released her self-titled debut album, Wynonna which rocked the country charts at number one. Wynonna also went five times platinum. Wynonna released a total of nine studio albums between 1992 and 2006. Three of the albums reached number one on the country charts. Only her debut album reached multi-platinum status.

Troubles

Wynonna was labeled as a poor role model after conceiving her son, Elijah, out of wedlock in 1994 and has admitted to struggling with compulsive over-eating disorder. She grabbed the media spotlight when she was arrested in 2003 for drunk driving and again in 2007 when her husband D.R. Roach was arrested for sexual assault of a child under the age of thirteen. She filed for divorced shortly after his arrest.

Fast Facts

1. Full name: Christina Claire Ciminella
2. Born: May 1, 1964 in Ashland, Kentucky
3. Sister to actress, Ashley Judd
4. Three children, Elijah Judd, Grace Pauline and Zac Roach
5. Filed for divorce from second husband and former bodyguard, D.R. Roach, after his arrest for sexual assault on a child
6. Record Label: Curb Records
7. Twenty number one singles
8. Co-hosted the fourth season of Nashville Star
9. Discography

Quotes

1. "I felt terrified. I felt frustrated and resentful of the fact that ... all of a sudden--bam! My mother was gone." —TV Guide
2. "When I was 17, little did I know I would end up on a bus with Mom, touring the country." —Wynonna.com
3. "I knew what I was getting into and I tried to change it...I knew that both Roach and I had issues with addiction when I married him." —Ladies Home Journal

Categories