Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd, known simply as Wynonna (/waɪˈnoʊnə/ wy-NOH-nə; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964), is an American country music singer.[1] She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country musicians in history.[2] In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, including those with The Judds.[3] Her solo albums and singles are all credited to—and performed under—the singular stage name, Wynonna. She first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in their mother-daughter country music duo, The Judds. They released seven albums on Curb Records, in addition to 26 singles, of which 14 were No. 1 hits.[4] In 2023 Wynonna was named the best country music artist picking up the "country champion" award at the "People's Choice Country Awards".
Wynonna Judd
- Singer
- television personality
1983–present
-
Arch Kelley III(m. 1996, divorced)
-
D. R. Roach(m. 2003; div. 2007)
-
Scott "Cactus" Moser(m. 2012)
2
- Naomi Judd (mother)
Ashley Judd (half-sister)
- Vocals
- guitar
The Judds disbanded in 1991, and Wynonna began a solo career (also on Curb).[5] During her solo career, Wynonna has released eight studio albums, as well as a live album, a holiday album, and two compilation albums, with the releasing of more than 20 singles. Her first three singles, "She Is His Only Need", "I Saw the Light", and "No One Else on Earth" all reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[6] In 1996, "To Be Loved by You" also hit number one, becoming her fourth number one and top-ten hit.[7] Three of her albums are certified multiple-times platinum by the RIAA.[8] Her most recent recording is Wynonna & the Big Noise, which was released on February 12, 2016, followed by the release of the single "Cool Ya'" that same month.[9] "Recollections" was released in 2020. Wynonna is most recognized for her musical work, although she has also pursued other interests starting in the 2000s, including writing, acting, and philanthropy.[10][11]
In 2022, Wynonna was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Judds.[12][13]
Early life[edit]
Wynonna was born Christina Claire Ciminella[14] in Ashland, Kentucky, on May 30, 1964.[15] Her mother, Naomi Judd, (then known as Diana) had quickly married Michael Ciminella after being abandoned by Charles Jordan, her boyfriend and Judd's biological father.[16] Jordan died in 2000.[17]
Naomi Judd and Michael Ciminella had a daughter together they named Ashley. The couple moved with the two girls to Los Angeles in 1968, but were divorced by 1972.[15] By 1976, Naomi Judd took the girls with her back to Kentucky. Wynonna was inspired by the country music that her mother listened to and learned to play guitar. In 1979 the family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, so Naomi and Wynonna could pursue musical careers. There her mother legally changed her name from Diana to Naomi, and Christina adopted the stage name "Wynonna" after the song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66", which mentions the town of Winona, Arizona, in the lyrics.[18]
Honors and recognition[edit]
In 2007, Wynonna was given a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville, in her honor.[56]
In 2005, she received the USO's Merit Award for service to all divisions of the United States Armed Forces.[57] She teamed with Habitat for Humanity to record "Heart of America", with Michael McDonald and Eric Benét, which helped raise over $90 million 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.[58]
On May 1, 2022, Wynonna and Naomi Judd were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as members of The Judds.[59][12]
Additional interests[edit]
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 Stickam.com.[60][61] In 2009, she also became the spokeswoman for Alli, the only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss product, which featured the artist in a national marketing campaign.[62]
Personal life[edit]
Wynonna and businessman Arch Kelley III had a son together before marrying in 1996. They had a second child together but divorced in 1998.[15]
Wynonna married again, to D. R. Roach, her former bodyguard, on November 22, 2003, in Tennessee. On March 22, 2007, he was arrested for sexual assault of a child under the age of 13; she filed for divorce five days later.[63]
In November 2003, Wynonna taped an appearance on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show discussing what she described as a severe dependence on food.[64] The episode aired in February 2004. Judd had been working with the show in an effort to lose weight and get to the root of her dependence. In September 2005, she made a second appearance on the show, discussing how she had lost some weight. She also focused on improving relationships with her mother and her father Michael Ciminella, from whom she had been estranged for almost a decade.
Wynonna was a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards, conducted to support independent artists' careers.[65]
On December 24, 2011, Judd became engaged to boyfriend Scott "Cactus" Moser, best known as the drummer for Highway 101.[66] They married on June 10, 2012, at her home in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee.[67]
On August 18, 2012, Moser was severely injured in a motorcycle crash in South Dakota. He was on U.S. Route 16 in the Black Hills when he crossed the center line and hit a car. Injuries required his left leg to be amputated above the knee.[68][69]
In June 2018, Wynonna's daughter Grace was sentenced to 8 years in prison for violating her probation period. She had pleaded guilty to possession, manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamines.[70][71]
In 2024, Grace would be arrested in Alabama on charges of indecent exposure and obstructing government operations following a "disturbance" at a gas station and a roadside incident where she yelled at, and did not cooperate with, officers. An additional charge of soliciting prostitution would later be added as well.[72]