The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame one day after Naomi Judd’s death
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By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
NASHVILLE — Ray Charles and The Judds joined the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday in a subdued ceremony filled with tears, laughter and, most of all, music, just one day after Naomi Judd died at the age of 76.
Daughters Wynonna and Ashley Judd accepted the induction through tears, clasping each other and reciting a Psalm 23 from the Bible.
“It’s a strange dynamic to be this broken and this blessed...But though my heart is broken, I will continue to sing,” Wynona, as she was widely known during her solo career after Naomi Judd stepped back from performing in 1991 following a hepatitis C diagnosis, told the crowd.
“I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today,” Ashley Judd said of her mother to the crowd while crying.
According to The Tennessean, vocalist and fellow Kentuckian Ricky Skaggs inducted Wynonna and Naomi Judd into the Hall, hailing their legendary catalog for connecting people with a “front porch, back porch and no porch.”
The show did, in fact, go on despite the shock of Naomi Judd’s passing, with the Country Music Hall of Fame also welcoming new inductees Charles, Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake.
Meanwhile, country music royalty, including Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, among others, delivered powerful performances from the Nashville stage.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Wynonna Judd, right, hugs sister Ashley Judd during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall Of Fame Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Wynonna Judd, second from the right, stands next to the Judds' induction plaque as sister Ashley Judd, left, Ricky Skaggs, and MC Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum look on during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Ricky Skaggs presents Wynonna Judd with her medallion during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame as sister Ashley Judd, left, looks on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Ricky Skaggs presents Ashley Judd the medallion that would have been given to her mother Naomi Judd dduring the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Ashley Judd, left, cries as she speaks as sister Wynonna Judd watches during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall Of Fame Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Wynonna Judd pauses as she speaks during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Wynonna Judd blows a kiss to attendees during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall Of Fame Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Wynonna Judd looks to the sky during the Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Rose Drake, wife of inductee Pete Drake speaks during the Country Music Hall of Fame medallion ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Ronnie Milsap speaks during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Vince Gill, left, and Eddie Bayers pose for a photo with Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Garth Brooks performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Vince Gill performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Valerie Ervin, president of the Ray Charles Foundation speaks during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Charlie McCall speaks during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Bettye LaVette performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Michael Trotter Jr. of War and Treaty performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Carly Pearce performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Marty Stuart performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Tommy Sims performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Eddie Bayers speaks during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Tanya Blount of War and Treaty performs during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)
Photos: The Judds, Ray Charles join Country Music Hall of Fame Wynonna Judd is seen before the Country Music Hall of Fame medallion ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/Invision/AP)