Washington, D.C. – The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted country music icon and GRAMMY® winning songwriter Naomi Judd during its first ceremony at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The event paid homage to women whose body of work represents the best of heritage and legacy of modern American music.
“It’s always gratifying when someone acknowledges your best efforts. I love expressing my deepest feelings as I did in writing ‘Love Can Build A Bridge.’ Not only was I being celebrated at this auspicious event in Washington, D.C., I was among other accomplished songwriters. It was fun to reconnect with Valerie Simpson of Ashford & Simpson fame. We met years ago. A good time was had by all!” Naomi Judd shared.
Judd joined other inaugural inductees, including Valerie Simpson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Roberta Flack, Tawatha Agee, Klymaxx, Deniece Williams, Jeri Keever “Bunny” Hull and Veryl Howard.
Recently, Judd acted and starred in Lifetime’s V.C. Andrews’ Ruby, a four-party movie series that followed Ruby Landry, who after being raised by her loving spiritual healer grandmother (Judd) in the Louisiana bayou, is ensnared in a world of dark family secrets and betrayal, upon discovering that she has another family living in New Orleans.
Naomi Judd is a six-time GRAMMY®, nine-time CMA and seven-time ACM Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, author and public speaker, whose life and career continues to inspire dreamers today. Naomi and her daughter Wynonna brought a fresh acoustic sound to country music, with unmistakable harmonies as The Judds surrounding Wynonna’s powerful lead vocals. The Judds have often celebrated for a rarely interrupted stretch of 14 No. 1 hits when every single of theirs released by RCA Nashville/Curb landed in the Billboard Top 10; and a career that defined what it means to be individualists in the music business. The Judds dominated touring with 20 Top 10 hits, have sold more than 20 million albums and blazed a trail for duos and women who have followed them. Hailing from the Appalachian foothills of Ashland, Ky., mother and daughter duo The Judds were discovered by RCA Nashville label head Joe Galante in 1983, after they landed a guest spot on WSM-TV’s Ralph Emery Show. The Judds made their Billboard country chart debut at the end of that year, with “Had a Dream (for the Heart),” and they were on their way to a history-making career. In 1991 when Naomi’s diagnosis of hepatitis C forced her to retire from the road, The Judds embarked on a historic farewell tour with Garth Brooks as an opening act. Naomi focused on her health, beating the disease and wrote several New York Times Best Sellers and became a popular motivational speaker and actress. To this day, their enduring legacy has inspired their peers, as well as established and aspiring artists. The Judds broke the mold for what it means to be an entertainment titan and remain one of the most successful acts in the history of the country music format. In 2022, The Judds will receive a star on the world’s most famous walkway, The Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Keep up with Naomi Judd on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and naomijudd.com.