“Naomi Judd: A River Of Time Celebration” will be held on Sunday, May 15 at the Ryman Auditorium to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of the country music icon. Judd passed away Saturday, April 30th at the age of 76 outside of Nashville. Daughter Ashley Judd confirmed in an interview with Good Morning America on Thursday that Naomi Judd died by suicide after a longtime battle with mental illness. Naomi’s passing happened one day prior to The Judds being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
CMT will exclusively televise the public memorial service, a celebration of the life and legacy of Judd, as a commercial-free special at 5 p.m. CT. The broadcast will include tributes from Wynonna & Ashley Judd with soon-to-be-announced performances and special appearances from some of the biggest names in entertainment. Additional details on the public memorial service to be announced in the coming days.
CMT producers said of the event: “We are sincerely privileged to work alongside Wynonna and Ashley to present this live celebration of life for their mother Naomi. While we all continue to deeply mourn the loss of such a legendary artist, we are honored to commemorate her legacy alongside the country community, her friends, family and legions of fans across the world at the perfect venue: The Mother Church of Country Music. This special will celebrate her timeless voice, unforgettable spirit and the immense impact she left on our genre through the best form of healing we have–music.”
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