Naomi Judd passed away yesterday at the age of 76, and tonight she was supposed to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame with her older daughter, Wynonna, for their duo, The Judds.
However, that did not come to pass because she passed. Her daughters, Ashley and Wynonna, could’ve stayed at home, but they showed up to honor their mother on what should have been a happy occasion.
Ricky Skaggs introduced The Judds, and then the two sisters accepted their medallions. When they were done with that, they each gave a speech. Ashley started it off with, “My momma loved you so much, and she appreciated your love for her, and I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today.”
Ashley then went on to say that honor was not only their mom’s but also their sister’s. Then she went on to praise her sister.
When she was done, it was time for Wynonna to talk.”I didn’t prepare anything tonight ’cause I knew that mom would probably talk the most,” Wynonna said with tears in her eyes. “I feel so blessed, and it’s a very strange dynamic to be this broken and this blessed … but though my heart is broken, I will continue to sing.”
Wynnona said that she kissed her mom on the forehead one final time at 2:20p and hadn’t spoken from that moment until she accepted the award. Then, she said the last time they were together; they read Psalm 23 together. So she read it with the audience.
When Wynonna was done, they thanked their peers and walked off the stage.
My heart breaks for them. I know what it is like to lose both of my parents, and it is never easy. I admire their courage for going through with the ceremony, but I think they felt it is what their mother would’ve wanted.
It was the perfect place to hold a memorial service and let the people who knew and loved their mom honor her.
The Judds are loved by Country Music, and you can’t get more country than this.
So, to Wynonna and Ashley, thank you for sharing your mom with us during the good and bad times. Thank you for honoring her tonight in such a beautiful way. She is looking down on you with pride, and know she is at peace. She is why we say Rest In Peace. Because that is what she is doing. The pain is gone, and she is free.
Ashley and Wynonna Judd announced today that their mother, Naomi passed away today at the age of 76. “Today, we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. 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.”
2022 was supposed to be an excellent year for The Judds. Naomi and Wynonna were going to hit the road in September for a final tour. They recently reunited and played the CMT Awards, much delight to their fans. And tomorrow, they were going to be inducted into the County Music Hall of Fame.
In 2016, the singer released her book River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope. Sometimes when a depressed person is full of so much hope and joy to look forward to, it has the opposite effect on them. I am not saying that is the case, but that was my first thought when I heard of her passing.
Depression is an evil thing that takes over everything, and it is impossible once again to get control of yourself. Even the happiest of things make you sad.
Hopefully, now Naomi is at peace and truly happy. My heart goes out to her husband, Larry Strickland, daughters, and grandchildren.
Gilbert Gottfried passed away from complications from muscular dystrophy at the age of 67. His family wrote, “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor.”
Gottfried got his start on Saturday Night Live, but then he, literally, found his voice. Once he did, we knew we were never going to forget it. That is because his high-pitched, nasally voice penetrated every inch of your body when he told a joke.
That is why he was perfect for the voice of Iago the Parrot in<del datetime=”2022-04-12T20:11:47+00:00″> Aladin and the Aflac Duck. But he was also in front of the camera in productions like the Problem Child franchise, two Sharknados, and so much more.
Just like an earthquake, you always heard him before you felt him.
It is fitting that his last role was voicing Gd in Smiling Friends. Because now, he is making Gd smile.
Gottfried is survived by his wife Dara and their children, Lily Aster, 14, and Max Aaron, 12.
The Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away yesterday at the age of 50. The band wrote, “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.”
Hawkins left Alanis Morissette’s touring group and joined the Foo Fighters in 1997 after getting a phone call from Dave Grohl. Grohl asked him if he knew of any drummers who would want the job, and Hawkins said he did. The rest is Rock’n’Roll history at its finest.
In 2006, he released a solo album as Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. Along with his own work, he worked with Slash, The Beach Boys, Queen’s Brian May, Ozzy Osbourne, and so many other legends. Not only did he play with legends, but he also played the legend Iggy Pop in CGBG.
I saw him open for The Police with the Foo Fighters, so I was surprised to learn he was in a Police cover band called The Cops. I am sure over the next several weeks; we are going to learn more and more interesting things about him. And I am all for it.
Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison and their three children, Oliver, Annabelle, and Everleigh. My heart goes out to all of them through this difficult time.
Howard Hesseman passed away yesterday at the age of 81 due to complications from colon surgery he had last year, according to what his wife told The Hollywood Reporter.
Hesseman spent 50 years in front of the camera. During the first 10 years, he was working non-stop and had several smaller roles. However, in 1978, he was given his big break when he was cast as the Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati. He played the laid-back hippie DJ who loved playing the likes of Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd.
After that show ended, he got married to Anne Romano on One Day at a Time. Then he spent the next few years starring in some films like Police Academy 2: The First Assignment, Clue, and Heat. But in 1986, he returned to the small screen to star as a teacher to smart kids in Head of the Class. When he left that show, he returned to his musical roots in The New WKRP in Cincinnati. From that time on, he kept on working in movies and television shows until 2018.
Everything about him was memorable, so you always knew it was him when he appeared on the screen. So today, let’s light a joint and watch Hesseman in one of many, many roles. And let’s laugh with him so that our laughter will escort him up to heaven.
