logo
The girl in this story | Instagram.com/wynonnajudd
The girl in this story | Instagram.com/wynonnajudd

This Girl Who Grew Up ‘Dirt Poor’ & Whose Mom Was ‘Determined to Die’ Is a Country Music Hall of Famer

Dorcus Osongo
Dec 02, 2023
05:10 P.M.
  • This girl grew up in poverty and became a country music star.
  • She had a complicated relationship with her mom, who was "determined to die."
  • The girl has moved forward with her life and career, having won prestigious awards.
Advertisement

This American country music singer has had a successful career. She stands as one of the most acknowledged and decorated country musicians in history. She doesn't only sing country music; she lives it, too.

Advertisement

The girl was born Christina Claire Ciminella, but when she was 12, she changed her name. She said she made this change just because she could. Later, she confessed that the name was derived from her love for the song "Route 66."

The girl playing her guitar at home on November 9, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl playing her guitar at home on November 9, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl, seen in this throwback picture, also loved big bands, which she used to inspire her name change. Some of the big bands she listened to growing up were Flagstaff, Ariz., and Winona. Winona was the story of her life, inspiring her to change her name. The singer is now a success story as much as her beginnings were challenging.

The girl and her mom performing at a concert in Orange County, California, on June 23, 1991 | Source: Getty Images

The girl and her mom performing at a concert in Orange County, California, on June 23, 1991 | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

The country star didn't have a glamorous childhood. When she was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR), the host, Peter Sagal, revealed that the girl grew up "dirt poor." Sometimes, she, her sister, and her mother had no dinner. Still, she went from poverty to being a successful singer who was invited to the White House.

The girl with her dogs at home on November 9, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl with her dogs at home on November 9, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl's first musical act was as a duo, with her mom. However, she said she had been performing all her life because growing up in Appalachia, she had nothing to do, no TV, and no telephone. Her success had her touring with her mom when she was a teenager. The two performed together for 18 years.

She noted that she was struggling to come to terms with the way her mom died.

Advertisement
The girl and her mother photographed in 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl and her mother photographed in 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl's dream was to perform with her mom, but she never thought she'd be on a tour bus with her for ten years. The singer and her mom had a complicated relationship. She opened up about this, alongside her weight problems.

The girl and her mother singing at a concert on January 1, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

The girl and her mother singing at a concert on January 1, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

Wynonna Judd, Her Relationship with Her Mom and Weight Problems

The girl in this story is Wynonna Judd. Her mom is Naomi Judd, and her sister is Ashley Judd. Wynonna developed weight problems as a young girl just after her parents divorced. She felt so alone all those years after her parents parted ways that she would get so hungry and panicky.

Advertisement

Food became her comfort from loneliness, which made her weigh her heaviest ever. At 18, she earned a number-one record and toured the country, but she was still lonely. Things got worse when she and her first husband divorced. Wynonna kept thinking that she could get better by herself.

Advertisement

She really thought she was so strong that she could make it. However, one night at a function, she looked at her sister and mother and saw that they were so beautiful, making her feel like she didn't belong, like she had never belonged.

Advertisement

When Wynonna turned 30, she finally understood these feelings after her mom confessed a secret that she had been keeping from her all her life. The secret was that she and her younger sister had different fathers.

Advertisement

Wynonna discovered that Naomi got pregnant when she was 17, but the man responsible didn't stick around. Her mom married another man to give Wynonna a name. The singer didn't know this information, but Ashley knew and never told her as she felt it wasn't her place to say it.

Advertisement

Not knowing this truth messed the country star up. She found it so painful that her mom had kept this secret from her all these years. Nine years after the revelation, she was still angry and raging inside. Yet, she had to push herself to be authentic and know who she was. When she started doing this, she discovered that it was sacred but agonizing.

Advertisement

The singer also became committed to improving her health and losing weight alongside finding her real self. Her effort to lose weight was different from her previous attempts as she was also investigating its root cause now that she knew the truth about her father.

Advertisement

Wynonna went to Oprah Winfrey for help. Oprah's personal trainer, Bob Greene, worked with her on her exercise and eating habits. She was so dedicated that her personal trainer, Dominick, saw the change in her commitment.

Advertisement

She also started to eat healthy dinners made by her personal chef, Cathy. The singer's second husband, Daniel Roach, even believed the changes she made in her personal life would transform their life.

Advertisement

Wynonna Judd and Daniel Roach's Bittersweet Love

Wynonna was previously married to Arch Kelley III, her first husband, and is now spending her life with her third husband, Cactus Moser. However, it is her love life with Daniel that caught the attention of the media.

Daniel Roach and Wynonna Judd at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Sting on February 6, 2004 | Source: Getty Images

Daniel Roach and Wynonna Judd at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Sting on February 6, 2004 | Source: Getty Images

Wynonna once described Daniel as an optimistic and positive man who had seen her at her worst and best but still loved her. When she was working to lose weight, she noted that she was doing it for Daniel and herself.

Grace Pauline Kelley and Wynonna Judd at a Broadway showing of "Little Women" on March 23, 2005 | Source: Getty Images

Grace Pauline Kelley and Wynonna Judd at a Broadway showing of "Little Women" on March 23, 2005 | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

Despite the positive words she used to describe her ex-husband, their love life wasn't that of peace and glory. Wynonna revealed that Daniel betrayed her when she found out that he had been charged with aggravated sexual battery against a minor.

Elijah, Wynonna, and Ashley Judd at Nickelodeon's 10th Annual Kids Choice Awards on April 19, 1997 | Source: Getty Images

Elijah, Wynonna, and Ashley Judd at Nickelodeon's 10th Annual Kids Choice Awards on April 19, 1997 | Source: Getty Images

When the singer found out that information, her first thought went to her kids. Wynonna is a mom of two: Elijah Judd, born in 1994, and Grace Pauline Kelley, born in 1996. She set strict boundaries to protect them from Daniel and explained to them why her ex-husband was kicked out of the house.

Daniel Roach and Wynonna Judd at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Sting on February 6, 2004 | Source: Getty Images

Daniel Roach and Wynonna Judd at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Sting on February 6, 2004 | Source: Getty Images

Advertisement

From this tough incident onwards, Wynonna asked herself what she could do to be better. She was devastated that she trusted Daniel with her life, but he betrayed her. The singer didn't want to lose her ability to trust, so she acknowledged that the best revenge was moving forward with her life, which she did.

Advertisement

Losing Her Mother and Moving Forward

Naomi died on April 30, 2022, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The loss was so heartbreaking for Wynonna that she became depressed. She noted that she was struggling to come to terms with the way her mom died.

Advertisement

The singer had to make peace with the fact that she'd never know what caused Naomi, who suffered from a mental illness, to die the way she did. She recalled that her mom was a determined woman who never gave up as much as she was a single parent raising two girls on welfare and food stamps:

"So think about that and apply it to every stinking part of life, including death. With the same determination she had to live, she was determined to die."

Advertisement

The singer could not understand how her mom was vulnerable yet strong. But she realized that sometimes these questions have no answers, so she chose to go back to making music, something she and her mom loved doing together.

Advertisement

Having gone back to making music, Wynonna faced difficulties when she struggled with vertigo. Going back to live performances was also not easy. She even admitted recently after a Country Music Awards performance that she was nervous on stage.

Advertisement

Still, the talented singer, who has won several CMA, Grammy, and Billboard Music awards, and earned a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville in 2007, pushed on.

Wynonna continues to mourn the devastating loss of her mother as she celebrates her through her music. She and Naomi were acknowledged by the Country Music Hall of Fame for changing country music's direction. Wynonna also celebrates her mom's life and legacy while holding on to what they shared with as much joy as she can.

Advertisement
Advertisement
info

The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider.

info

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.

Related posts

Wynonna Judd, 59, Shares a Glimpse of Her Grandchild Rocking Heart-Printed Pants & Boots in Video

January 28, 2024

'Grease' Star Susan Buckner Died at 72 – What Happened to Other Actresses of the Iconic Movie

May 10, 2024

Loretta Lynn's 2 Granddaughters: One Wowed on 'American Idol' & the Other Faced Challenge the Singer 'Couldn't Bear'

February 29, 2024

Loretta Lynn's Granddaughter 'Got the Gift' Growing up on the Tour Bus with Granny – She Steps Out of Her Shadow

February 27, 2024

The Day Ailing Toby Keith Walked His Gorgeous Daughter-in-Law Down the Aisle Instead of Her Dad — Photos

February 09, 2024

'Stunning' Trisha Yearwood, 59, Shows off Her Slimmer Figure in Form-Fitting Black Dress — Photos

May 04, 2024

Toby Keith's Mother Joined Him Onstage in One of His Final Shows before His Death

February 07, 2024

This Girl Is the Only Daughter of a 'Knots Landing' Star & Singer, Who Has Been in Love for More than 30 Years

April 28, 2024

Garth Brook's Youngest Daughter Draws Reactions as She Flaunts Cleavage in Plunging Orange Crop Top

April 23, 2024

Reba McEntire Celebrates 69 Next to a Supportive Man after 2 Rocky Marriages – Inside Her Personal Life

March 28, 2024

How Celebs Look without Makeup — Pics to Compare

May 17, 2024

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill’s Daughter, 22, Sparks Concerns after Looking ‘Too Thin’ in Photoshoot

May 02, 2024

Matthew McConaughey’s 3 Kids Make a Rare Public Appearance — Fans Say They All Look like Their Mom

May 06, 2024

This Girl Tragically Died at 31 – She Did One Thing to Provide Her 7-Year-Old Son with Money a Month before Her Death

March 01, 2024