Everything to know about The Voice mega mentor Wynonna Judd
By Sabrina Reed
Country music royalty is making her way to The Voice for season 24 to join the Queen of Country Reba McEntire, Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani, and John Legend as a mega mentor. Of course, we’re talking about the Wynonna Judd. She’ll be mentoring contestants who survived the Battle Rounds and now must get ready to face-off in the three-way Knockouts on Monday, Nov. 6.
Though she’s known as a country artist, Judd’s sound also encompasses gospel and blues. Her stage presence, along with her voice, is legendary. She knows more than a thing or two about standing out in an industry where there’s talent galore and countless people with a song in their heart. With over 40 years in the business, Judd can provide priceless advice to the contestants regardless of the style they perform in. At the end of the day, it’s about being yourself on stage, whatever that looks like, and putting on a show.
Learn more about the mega mentor below!
What to know about Wynonna Judd, The Voice season 24 mega mentor
Quick facts:
- Birthday: May 30, 1964
- Birth name: Christina Claire Ciminella
- Instagram: @WynonnaJudd
- Parents: Naomi Judd and Charles Jordan. Her former stepfather is Michael Ciminella.
- Sibling(s): Ashley Judd
- Spouse: Scott “Cactus” Moser
- Children: Grace Pauline Kelley and Elijah Judd
- Has a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville
- Was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame, along with her mother Naomi Judd
- 5 time Grammy winner, 9 time Country Music Association winner, 8 time Academy of Country music winner and recipient of the 2013 Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award for her work in the country music duo The Judds.
Per Taste of Country, Wynonna’s stage name came from her mother and Ray Benson. When she was a teenager, Naomi began calling her Wynonna after Benson had “blessed” her daughter with the nickname derived from one of his songs. Her mother liked it and the name stuck. This was years before the mother-daughter duo signed a record deal as The Judds.
Once their star took off in 1983, it kept rising. For nearly 10 years, the two dominated the country music scene. They put out six albums before their career together came to an end in 1991 due to Naomi’s Hepatitis C diagnosis:
- Why Not Me (1984)
- Rockin’ with the Rhythm (1985)
- Heartland (1987)
- Christmas Time with the Judds (1987)
- River of Time (1989)
- Love Can Build a Bridge (1990)
As a solo act, Wynonna Judd continued to put out hits starting with her self-titled debut album in 1992. She won two Billboard Music Awards that year for her work–Country Single and Best New Country Artist. Between 1993-2003, Judd was nominated for four Academy of Country Music Awards and, from 1993-1995, four Grammys. Judd has a total of 10 studio albums spanning 1992-2020.
- Wynonna (1992)
- Tell Me Why (1993)
- Revelations (1996)
- The Other Side (1997)
- New Day Dawning (2000)
- What the World Needs Now Is Love (2003)
- A Classic Christmas (2006)
- Sing: Chapter 1 (2009)
- Wynonna & the Big Noise (2016)
- Recollections (2020)
Naomi Judd tragically passed on April 30, 2022 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She’d struggled with depression for most of her life. Naomi died the day before she and Wynonna due to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as The Judds.
Wynonna, along with her sister Ashley Judd, took to the stage on May 1, 2022 to accept the induction during the medallion ceremony. In her speech, she shared:
"I didn’t prepare anything tonight because I knew mom would probably talk the most. I’m gonna make this fast, because my heart’s broken, and I feel so blessed. It’s a very strange dynamic, to be this broken and this blessed. … Though my heart’s broken, I will continue to sing, because that’s what we do."
The singer kept true to her word. This year into 2024, she’ll be on her Back to Wy Tour. Upcoming dates include a Nov. 9 appearance at Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, TX and the Grand Ole Opry on Nov. 14.
When the tour was announced, Judd informed fans that her performances will cover her first two albums, Wynonna and Tell Me Why, in celebration of the 40 years she’s been making music. The setlist includes her hits and deep cuts.
If you’d like to learn more about Wynonna Judd’s life and her career, check out Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Halleulujah. The documentary is streaming on Paramount+. Over the course of 1 hour and 40 minute film, you’ll be taken on a journey through Judd’s time on tour, her grief process as she mourns the loss of her mother and celebrates the music they created together.
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