At a Hall of Fame ceremony, daughters honor Naomi Judd

Wynonna Judd appeared at the Country Music Hall of Fame ceremony Sunday evening in Nashville for a brief and emotional tribute to her mother and duo partner, Naomi Judd, who died the day before the Judds were scheduled to be inducted into the prestigious ranks.

“I didn’t prepare anything tonight because I knew Mom would probably talk the most,” Wynonna Judd told audience.“i’m going to make this fast because my heart’s broken and I feel so blessed, and it’s a very strange dynamic to be this broken and this blessed.”

She thanked some of the songwriters behind the legendary duo’s hits, from “Young Love (Strong Love)” to “I Know Where I’m Going.”the Judds collected 14 No. 1 singles between 1984 and 1991 and won five Grammy Awards for best country performance by a duo or group.

“You all know that I’m all about the songs and the music. I could give a rip, really, about the rest because it comes and goes,”judd said.“though my heart’s broken, I will continue to sing because that’s what we do.”to conclude her speech, she recited Psalm 23.

Naomi Judd died at age 76 on Saturday; Wynonna Judd and her sister, actress Ashley Judd, said they“lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness” and did not specify the cause of death. Naomi Judd had been outspoken about her struggles with depression over the years.

Ashley Judd spoke at the ceremony and cried as she talked about her mother.“my mama

loved you so much, and she appreciated your love for her, and I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today,” she said.