Naomi Judd's Cause of Death, Revealed; Country Music Stars Mourn Icon's Passing

Naomi Judd, 76, was a country music icon and part of the Grammy-winning group The Judds.

Her daughter, actress Ashley Judd, posted a message on Instagram on Saturday (April 30) announcing her mother's death and expressing her and her sister Wynonna's grief at the news.

Tributes Pour In for Naomi Judd

Naomi's husband, Larry Strickland, an Elvis Presley backup vocalist, said that his wife had died near Nashville, Tennessee, and requested privacy for their family at this time. The 76-year-old's death, which occurred only one day before she was supposed to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and a few months before she was set to return to the stage later this year, remains unknown.

Naomi and her daughter Wynonna, who make it up the Judds, announced earlier this year that they will embark on a 10-city Final Tour in September. On Sunday, May 1, the two were to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

They had just reunited for their first TV performance in nearly two decades at the CMT Music Awards, singing their legendary 1990s single 'Love Can Build a Bridge,' according to Independent.

Following the announcement, social media was flooded with tributes to the singer. The Judds will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday. They'd also recently announced an autumn arena tour, which would be their first together in nearly a decade.

The mother-daughter duo had 14 No. 1 hits throughout their almost three-decade career. The red-headed group combined traditional Appalachian bluegrass sounds with polished pop stylings in the 1980s, scoring song after hit. Wynonna led the group with her powerful voice, while Naomi provided harmonies and an attractive stage presence.

The Hall of Fame Induction

They also returned to award events earlier this month, performing at the CMT Music Awards. After reaching the pinnacle of country music, they split up in 1991 after Judd was diagnosed with hepatitis C. Wynonna's solo career continued.

Diana Ellen Judd was born in Ashland, Kentucky, and was a single mother and nurse in Nashville when she and Wynonna began singing professionally together.

Their distinct harmonies, along with acoustic, bluegrass, and blues components, helped them stand out in the genre at the time. Judd revealed in a March interview that she was already planning the future tour and was looking forward to the Hall of Fame induction, Fox News reported.

Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake, two recording musicians, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Bayers is a member of the Grand Ole Opry band and has been a drummer in Nashville for decades, working on 300 platinum recordings.

He played on albums by The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Kenny Chesney regularly. He is the institution's very first drummer.

Drake, a pedal steel guitarist and part of Nashville's A-team of accomplished session musicians, performed on successes by Tammy Wynette and George Jones, including 'Stand By Your Man' and 'He Stopped Loving Her Today.' He is the first player of pedal steel guitar to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as per CBS News.

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The Judds