The country music community is heartbroken following Naomi Judd‘s death on April 30 at the age of 76.
Her passing came just one day before she and her daughter Wynonna were set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as The Judds. The ceremony continued, per her family’s wishes, and her daughters Wynonna and Ashley were in attendance.
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Many country artists paid tribute to Naomi after learning about her death. Some shared posts about her on social media, while others delivered musical tributes in her honor.
Tim McGraw took to Twitter shortly after learning about Naomi’s death, and shared the following message:
“Sending our love and prayers to Wynonna and Ashley and the entire Judd family. We grieve with you and so many others.”
Sending our love and prayers to Wynonna and Ashley and the entire Judd family. We grieve with you and so many others.
— Tim McGraw (@TheTimMcGraw) April 30, 2022
Tim had a concert in St. Louis on the day of Naomi’s death. He paid tribute to her at the end of his show, and received some help from his wife, Faith Hill.
After singing his heartfelt single “Humble and Kind,” Tim moved into an a cappella performance of The Judds’ “Love Can Build a Bridge.” The song was co-written by Naomi. It was one of The Judds’ biggest hits, and led to them winning a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
“Love Can Build a Bridge” was also the last song Naomi sang publicly. The Judds performed it during the CMT Music Awards on April 11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1Smd25IFck
One of the fans at Tim’s concert filmed him singing “Love Can Build a Bridge” and shared the video on YouTube. Partway through the song, Faith emerged from backstage to join his tribute.
Faith didn’t have a microphone, but she still sang along with Tim and the crowd. They shared a loving embrace at the end, and you could see the emotion in their eyes.
Watch Tim and Faith’s tribute to Naomi below. The video starts with Tim singing “Humble and Kind,” then his performance of “Love Can Build a Bridge” follows immediately afterward.
We join Tim and Faith in sending our prayers and condolences to Wynonna, Ashley, and all of Naomi’s loved ones during this difficult time.