Wynonna Judd admits she isnāt āconnectedā to sister Ashley Judd, ātaking a breakā from each other
Wynonna Judd admits she isnāt āconnectedā to sister Ashley Judd, ātaking a breakā from each other

Joey NolfiWed, September 30, 2026 at 1:19 PM UTC
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Ashley Judd, Naomi Judd, Wynonna JuddCredit: Evan Agostini/Getty ImagesThe singer-songwriter revealed ācomplicatedā details about her family dynamic, including feelings on her late mother Naomi Judd, who died by suicide in 2022.Key Points -
Wynonna Judd admitted in a new interview that she isnāt currently close with sister Ashley Judd.
The performer also explained why she sings about having āhateā in her heart for her late mother Naomi Judd.
Naomi died by suicide in 2022.
Country singer-songwriter Wynonna Judd has admitted that sheās no longer āconnectedā to her famous sister, actress Ashley Judd, amid an ongoing rift four years after the siblingsā mother, country star Naomi Judd, died by suicide in 2022.
Amid the release of her new album The Hard Truth ā her first collection of new material in over 10 years ā Wynonna, 62, opened up about her ācomplicatedā feelings about the sistersā late mother. She sings about their up-and-down dynamic on the new album when she croons: āI love you, I need you, I hate you some days.ā
āI feel like this is the most honest and vulnerable Iāve ever been,ā Wynonna told Entertainment Weeklyās sister publication PEOPLE about her raw takes on her familial feelings. āItās there for everyone to hear. So there are some days I think, āOh my God, what have I done?ā And then other days I think, āThere comes a point in your life when you are ready to tell your testimony.āā

Naomi Judd and Wynonna Judd accept Country Hall of Fame honor for late mom Naomi JuddCredit: Wade Payne/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
In addition to singing about her late motherās decision to keep the identity of Wynonnaās biological father a secret for years, part of that testimony includes reflecting on her relationship with Ashley, her 58-year-old little sister and actress known for roles in Double Jeopardy, Kiss the Girls, and more.
Wynonna told the outlet that her younger sibling hasnāt heard her new album or its candid lyrics about the family (including calling their mother āa mama with no shameā) as she said the pair isnāt āconnectedā at the moment.
āWeāre taking a break, which all families can relate to,ā Wynonna explained. āSheās doing her thing, and Iām doing mine.ā (EW has reached out to a representative for Ashley for comment.)
Elsewhere on the album, Wynonna also sings about the emotional turmoil she felt amid years of mystery surrounding the identity of her biological father, as well as her reactions to her estranged daughter, 30-year-old Gracey Kelly, whoās currently in a Virginia prison.
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If Naomi were alive, Wynonna says, she thinks she wouldāve been even āmore determinedā to speak her mind on her new material: āItās my story, and itās my feelings,ā she said.
And yet, āI think it would be very painful for her. Very painful. But I also know that she knows me, that Iām so honest and so up-front,ā Wynonna said about her mother.
āWhen Mom died, I went into a dark hole of just wondering, āWhat the heck now?ā Itās been 10 years since Iāve put out a record,ā Wynonna explained of her inspiration to speak her truth on the record.
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Following Naomiās death in 2022, the Judds performer was honored by CMT with a televised memorial, Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration, which included joint tributes from her daughters.
Listen to Wynonnaās new music in the video above.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: āAOL Entertainmentā