Naomi Judd talks about being a mom – and the lessons she's learned
Naomi Judd has worn many hats in her life – mother, singer, writer, and survivor. She is the mother of Ashley, an actress, and Wynonna, a singer, both famous in their own right.
The journey to find this success however has not been easy. When Naomi raised Wynonna and Ashley, at times she said they had very little money to survive.
Most of our lives, it was just the three of us. After school we did homework and laundry… I’d buy groceries with food stamps, go back to our one-bedroom apartment, and get them fed and put to bed, and then go to work as a cocktail waitress until two in the morning. Four hours later I started all over again.
When Naomi was 37, she and Wynonna began their careers in show business, and soon became the most popular country music duo; to date, The Judds have sold more than 20 million albums and videos. But when Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1990, she had to retire from show business, and Wynonna started her own journey as a solo performer.
Today, Naomi is in great health, and she says that she is amazed at the women her daughters have become.
I raised two very creative, strong-willed, expressive, passionate women.
Naomi is a grandmother to Wynonna’s two children, Elijah, 12, and Grace, 10. The Judd women also continue to have full schedules with work and community projects. Naomi recently published a book called Naomi’s Guide to Aging Gratefully: Facts, Myths, and Good News for Boomers. Wynonna is currently on tour, with stops this weekend in Hawaii. Ashley’s next movie Bug co-starring Harry Connick Jr. will be released this May.
Source: AARP Magazine, May/June 2007 issue, pages 62, 63, and 104
