Loretta Lynn, Carrie Underwood + More Will Tribute Naomi Judd in a New CMT Special
The late Naomi Judd of legendary country act the Judds will be the subject of a special CMT tribute called CMT Remembers: Naomi Judd.
Airing on Tuesday (May 3) at 9PM CT on CMT, the half-hour event will spotlight Judd's extraordinary life and legacy as one-half of the storied mother daughter duo.
Carrie Underwood, Loretta Lynn, Billy Ray Cyrus, the singer's daughter and Judds bandmate Wynonna Judd and Martina McBride will all contribute to the event. McBride was scheduled to go on tour with the Judds later in 2022.
The special will span the origins off the Judds through their reunion and resurgence in 2022, when the duo came together for a performance of their classic "Love Can Build a Bridge" at the 2022 CMT Music Awards.
The pair gave their performance on an outdoor stage in downtown Nashville, with the Country Music Hall of Fame in the backdrop — a nod to the fact that they were set to be inducted into the Hall this year. That induction came on Sunday (May 1), but just one day earlier, Judd died at the age of 76.
In a statement, the singer's daughters — her bandmate Wynonna, and actor Ashley Judd — told fans that they had "lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness," adding, "We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory."
But per the Judd family's wishes, the Country Music Hall of Fame induction proceeded as scheduled the following day, with the two sisters offering their thoughts and reflections in an emotional speech at the induction ceremony. Footage from that day — plus the Judds' final red carpet interview, at the 2022 CMT Awards — will be included in the new CMT special.
In addition to airing CMT Remembers: Naomi Judd, the network will celebrate the singer's legendary life by airing the Judds' final performance of "Love Can Build a Bridge," from the CMT Awards, every hour this week on CMT, CMT Music and CMT Pluto channels.
There will be four encore presentations of the special, taking place May 4 at 8:30AM CT and 8PM CT, May 7 at 12PM CT and May 8 at 11AM CT.