Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Ellen Judd, known simply as Wynonna (/waɪˈnoʊnə/ wy-NOH-nə; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964), is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country musicians in history. She has had 19 No. 1 singles, including those with The Judds. She first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in their mother-daughter country music duo, The Judds. They released seven albums on Curb Records, in addition to 26 singles, of which 14 were No. 1 hits.

The Judds disbanded in 1991, and Wynonna began a solo career (also on Curb). During her solo career, Wynonna has released eight studio albums, as well as a live album, a holiday album, and two compilation albums, with the releasing of more than 20 singles. Her first three singles, "She Is His Only Need", "I Saw the Light", and "No One Else on Earth" all reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In 1996, "To Be Loved by You" also hit number one, becoming her fourth number one and top-ten hit. Three of her albums are certified multiple-times platinum by the RIAA. Her most recent recording is Wynonna & the Big Noise, which was released on February 12, 2016, followed by the release of the single "Cool Ya'" that same month. "Recollections" was released in 2020. Wynonna is most recognized for her musical work, although she has also pursued other interests starting in the 2000s, including writing, acting, and philanthropy.

In 2022, Wynonna was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Judds.

Wynonna was born Christina Claire Ciminella in Ashland, Kentucky northeast of Lexington on May 30, 1964. Her mother, Naomi Judd, (then known as Diana) quickly married Michael Ciminella after being abandoned by Charles Jordan, her boyfriend and Judd's biological father. Jordan died in August 2000.

Naomi Judd and Michael Ciminella had a daughter together whom they named Ashley. The couple moved with the two girls to Los Angeles in 1968, but were divorced by 1972. By 1976, Naomi Judd took the girls with her back to Kentucky. Wynonna was inspired by the country music songs to which her mother listened, and learned to play guitar. In 1979 the family moved to Nashville, so Naomi and Wynonna could pursue musical careers. Then Wynonna's mother legally changed her name from Diana to Naomi, and Christina adopted the stage name "Wynonna" after the song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66", which mentions the town of Winona, Arizona, which is east of Flagstaff, in the lyrics.

Wynonna and Naomi were signed to RCA Records in 1983 as the duo the Judds. Between 1983 and 1991, the Judds charted 23 hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles (now Hot Country Songs) charts, including 14 number ones. They also recorded eight studio albums, one Christmas album, and two Greatest Hits compilations. In their six-year career, the Judds sold more than 20 million records worldwide and had won over 60 industry awards, including five Grammy Nominations, nine Country Music Association awards (seven of them consecutive), and eight Billboard Music Awards. At the time, they were the biggest-selling duo in country music and remained so until they were eclipsed by Brooks & Dunn in the 1990s. Naomi retired due to chronic hepatitis C after a 1991 farewell tour. After the duo broke up, Wynonna signed to MCA Records in association with Curb Records as a solo artist.

Wynonna reunited with her mother for a 1999 New Year's Eve concert to ring in the year 2000 sponsored by K-Mart. They embarked on a full-fledged tour together in 2000, and four new Judds songs were released on an exclusive bonus disc with Wynonna's album, New Day Dawning. The Judds reunited a second time in 2010 for "The Last Encore", an 18-city tour. Due to excitement for the upcoming tour, Curb Records announced the release of a new album from the Judds, I Will Stand by You: The Essential Collection, which featured two new songs and twelve of the duo's hits. The album was released on April 5, 2011.

On January 27, 1992, Wynonna performed solo on television for the first time at the American Music Awards. She released "She Is His Only Need", the first single from her self-titled solo debut album. The album, Wynonna, was released in 1992 via MCA/Curb, under the production of Tony Brown. "She Is His Only Need" went to number one on the Billboard country singles charts that year, as did the album's next two singles, "I Saw the Light" and "My Strongest Weakness". "No One Else on Earth", was also the number one country song of 1992 according to Billboard Year-End. "She Is His Only Need" and "No One Else on Earth" were also minor Adult Contemporary hits, and the latter peaked at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. "My Strongest Weakness", the album's final single, was a No. 4 country hit. The album shipped five million copies in the United States, earning a 5× Multi-Platinum certification from the RIAA.