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Wynonna Judd says she will tour in honor of mom Naomi: ‘The show must go on’

Wynonna and her mother were planning a fall tour before Naomi died last month.
/ Source: TODAY

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Wynonna Judd has announced that she will tour in honor of her late mother, Naomi.

The duo, who performed together as The Judds, were scheduled to tour this fall, but Naomi Judd died by suicide on April 30. Wynonna Judd revealed during Sunday’s CMT special, “Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration,” that she will hit the road.

“So, I made a decision and I thought I’d share it on national television. That after a lot of thought, I’m going to have to honor her and do this tour. I’m just going to have to,” Wynonna Judd said as the audience applauded and cheered. “Because that’s what you would want, and Bono once told me give them what they want, not what you want.”

Naomi Judd: 'A River Of Time' Celebration
Ashley Judd and sister Wynonna Judd speak onstage during "Naomi Judd: A River Of Time Celebration."Mickey Bernal / Getty Images

Wynonna Judd said it won’t be easy to soldier on without her mother, but she feels it’s necessary.

“So, tonight, as we close, I say 'and the show must go on,' as hard as it may be,” she said. “And we will show up together and you will carry me, as you carried me for 38 years, once again, because I honestly didn’t think I could do it.”

Naomi Judd’s death came one day before The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The induction went on as scheduled, as requested by her family.

Naomi Judd's death prompted an outpouring of grief among those in the country music community.

Wynonna Judd also said she feels compelled to put on the shows out of respect for her mother.

“I didn’t know if I could go on without her,” she said. “Oh, God. Life is so strange. It’s so devastatingly beautiful what happened here tonight, so we will continue this spectacle. That’s what she would want, right?”