Naomi Judd was half of the country music duo The Judds. For decades, she made music with her daughter Wynonna. Together, they raked in numerous awards, including five Grammys and scored 15 number one hits. In April, Wynonna and her sister Ashley lost their mother to suicide. Rumors have subsequently spread that the sisters are fighting over their mother’s estate. However, in a new interview with People, Wynonna put all of the gossip to rest.
‘Why Would We Be Fighting Over The Will?’
In a new cover story for People, Wynonna is getting candid about her family life. According to the country icon, she was shocked to hear that people believed she was fighting with Ashley over their mother’s estate. “Someone told me while I was at Ashley’s house, ‘Hey, did you know that they’re saying this about you?’ I went, ‘Huh? I’m fighting with Ashley? Oh. Again?'” Wynonna recalls. “Fighting over what? I have such a great life. Ashley has a great life. Why would we be fighting over the will?”
Before her death in April, Naomi named her husband of 33 years, Larry Strickland, as the executor of her will. According to Wynonna, she and Ashley will “split” Naomi’s estate when their stepfather dies—a plan that she has no issues with. In fact, Wynonna says she never would have even thought about contesting her mother’s will. “I am the last person in this family—and if Ashley was here, I’d hope she’d agree with me—who knows stuff like this,” she confessed. “I’m not savvy enough to go, ‘I’m going to contest the will.’ It never occurred to me.”
Wynonna Says She And Ashley Are Closer Than Ever
According to the musician, she and Ashley have only grown closer since their mother’s passing. “I feel like we’re connected in a way that is so different because I’m an orphan,” she says. “Both my parents are gone, and I’m relying on Ashley. She’s relying on me in a different way that’s about compassion. It’s not about being successful and smart and capable. It’s about, ‘I love you.’ ‘I love you, too.’ We’re vulnerable with each other, and we’re tender.”
Wynonna admits that she and Ashley haven’t always gotten along. “As sisters, we disagree on so much,” she explains. “But when it comes to our mother, we both look at each other and go, ‘She was quite the character’ … Ashley and I are very different people, and we are learning that we have more in common than we don’t.”
Shortly before her death, Naomi and Wynonna announced they’d be reuniting for a final tour. Instead of canceling after the tragic news broke, Wynonna decided to keep the tour dates, using the performances to celebrate her mother’s life and legacy.
To fill in for her mother, she’s getting help from some of the biggest names in country music, including Faith Hill and Trisha Yearwood. The tour commenced on September 30, giving fans a chance to bid their final farewell to the legendary musician.
