On Sunday, May 1, The Judds will be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, just one day after the death of the group's matriarch, Naomi Judd, at age 76.
Kyle Young, the CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, shared the news in a statement to TODAY on Saturday that the family wished for the Medallion Ceremony to proceed.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Naomi Judd, who enters the Country Music Hall of Fame tomorrow as a member of mother-daughter duo The Judds," Young said.
“Naomi overcame incredible adversity on her way to a significant place in music history. Her triumphant life story overshadows today’s tragic news,” he continued. “Her family has asked that we continue with The Judds’ official Hall of Fame induction on Sunday. We will do so, with heavy hearts and weighted minds. Naomi and daughter Wynonna’s music will endure.”
Wynonna Judd, one half of the mother-daughter duo, is still expected to attend the celebration in Nashville. However, plans for public red carpet arrivals were canceled because of Naomi's death.
The Judds were selected to be inducted into the 2021 class of inductees alongside Eddie Bayers, Ray Charles and Pete Drake. Across their prolific career, The Judds — with Wynonna serving as lead vocals — won five Grammys, nine CMA awards, seven ACM awards and had 20 top 10 hits, including 14 in the number one spot.
How can I watch the Country Music Hall of Fame ceremony?
It's unclear how fans will be able to watch, but the organization does have an active Facebook page and YouTube channel. At the time of publication of this article, the County Music Hall of Fame and Museum's website was down.
What time does the ceremony start?
The red carpet was supposed to take place from 3:15 p.m to 4:30 p.m., which means the main ceremony is likely to begin around 5:00 p.m.
Naomi's death was confirmed by her family on Saturday in a statement shared with TODAY.
“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the statement read. “We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.”
Naomi was also survived by her husband of over three decades, Larry Strickland.
“Her husband, Larry Strickland, of 32 years will not be making any further statements," her rep, Adkins Publicity, told TODAY in a statement. "Naomi Judd’s family request privacy during this heartbreaking time. No additional information will be released at this time.”
![Naomi Judd [& Family];Wynonna Judd](f_auto,q_auto:eco,dpr_2.0/rockcms/2022-05/the-judds-today-jm-inline-220501-5e4b77.jpg)
Over the weekend, there was an outpouring of love and support sent to the Judd family after news broke about country legend's death. Across social media, fellow country musicians including Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker, celebrities, and fans shared tributes to the late Judd, celebrating her accolades and immense impact on the country music industry in her decades-long career.
Last month at the 2022 CMT Awards, Naomi and her eldest daughter reunited on stage for a performance of their 1990 hit song, “Love Can Build a Bridge” after an introduction by Kacey Musgraves.
It was announced in April that The Judds would be hitting the road again later this year on a 10-day arena tour, set to kick-off in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Sept. 30, 2022.
