Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Judd Artistfacts

  • May 30, 1964
  • Wynonna first found fame as half of the country-music duo The Judds alongside her mother, Naomi. For nearly a decade, they were a staple on Country radio, with 14 singles going to #1. After their abrupt breakup in the early '90s due to Naomi's health issues, Wynonna launched a successful solo career.
  • Her real name is Christina Ciminella. She borrowed the name Wynonna from the song "Route 66," which references an Arizona town called Winona.
  • She told Larry King her biggest regret was never meeting her dad. Her mom, Naomi, was still in high school when she became pregnant with Wynonna and married her on-again/off-again boyfriend Michael Ciminella. Wynonna always assumed Ciminella was her biological father, but was shocked to learn her real dad was a man named Charles Jordan. She was making plans to meet him for the first time when he died in 2000.
  • Despite four nominations, she's never won a Grammy Award as a solo artist.
  • Her first trio of singles as a solo artist all went to #1 on the Country chart: "She Is His Only Need," "I Saw The Light," and "No One Else On Earth."
  • Her singing style has often been compared to Bonnie Raitt, who is one of Wynonna's musical heroes.
  • As a member of The Judds, Wynonna was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2021.
  • She's been married three times. Her first husband was businessman Arch Kelley III, the father of her children, Elijah and Grace. Her second husband was her former bodyguard D.R. Roach, whom she divorced after he was charged with sexually assaulting a minor. Her current husband is Highway 101 drummer Cactus Moser.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)Song Writing

How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names.

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.