Wynonna Judd Honors Mother Naomi on Opening Night of The Judds Final Tour

On Sept. 30, Wynonna Judd opened the Judds’ Final Tour without her mother Naomi, who died on April 30 at the age of 76, but honored the late Judd during her performance with a special tribute.

Kicking off the 11-city tour at the Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Judd was emotional as she sang with featured guest Brandi Carlile, and thanked fans for coming out to see the show after the death of her mother.

Offering a more gospel rendition of The Judds’ 1990 hit “Love Can Build a Bridge,” Wynonna sang along to a video screen that played old footage of Wynonna and her mother performing on stage together and ended with a clip of Naomi telling her daughter “I believe in the power of love, and I believe there is always hope.”

“Thank you, mama, for writing this song,” said Wynonna after finishing the song, continuing singing the closing love and only love in between, which was captured by fans’ posts. “I’ll continue to sing it for all the days of my life.”

Prior to hitting the stage, Judd shared a clip on Instagram of what fans could expect to see during the show with the caption “Just a little sneak peek.” She also shared photos of how she’s preparing for the shows on her Instagram Stories, revealing 19 cans of glitter spray. “Can’t ever have enough sparkles,” wrote Judd.

The Judds’ Final Tour is set to run through Oct. 29 before wrapping up at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, and will feature a number of special guests, including Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, and Kelsea Ballerini.

The Judds’ 2022 The Final Tour Dates:

Sept. 30 — Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Van Andel Arena (with Brandi Carlile)
Oct. 1 — Toledo, Ohio @ Huntington Center (with Brandi Carlile)
Oct. 7 — Sioux Falls, S.D. @ Denny Sanford Premiere Center (with Ashley McBryde)
Oct. 8 — Green Bay, Wisc. @ Resch Center (with Ashley McBryde)
Oct. 14 — Duluth, Ga. @ Gas South Arena (with Little Big Town)
Oct. 15 — Huntsville, Ala. @ Propst Arena @ the Von Braun Center (with Little Big Town)
Oct. 21 — Durant, Okla. @ Choctaw Grand Theater (with Kelsea Ballerini)
Oct. 22 — Fort Worth, Texas @ Dickies Arena (with Trisha Yearwood)
Oct. 27 — Biloxi, Miss. @ Mississippi Coast Coliseum (with Ashley McBryde)
Oct. 28 — Nashville, Tenn. @ Bridgestone Arena (with Trisha Yearwood)
Oct. 29 — Lexington, Ky. @ Rupp Arena (with Faith Hill)

Photo: Katie Kauss/Getty Images