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What Is Wynonna Judd’s Net Worth?
Wynonna Judd, a celebrated American country music singer, has amassed a net worth of $12 million. Her financial success is rooted in her illustrious career that began in the 1980s as one half of The Judds, alongside her mother, Naomi Judd. The duo’s impressive sales figures and individual ventures have contributed to Wynonna’s current financial standing.
The Judds: Rise to Fame and Fortune
The Judds swiftly became a prominent fixture in the country music scene, earning immense popularity and recognition. Between 1983 and 1991, The Judds dominated the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts with 23 hit singles, including 14 chart-toppers. Their musical output comprised eight studio albums, one Christmas album, and two greatest hits compilations. The duo sold over 20 million records globally, a testament to their widespread appeal. Their commercial success translated into numerous industry accolades, including five Grammy Awards, nine Country Music Association (CMA) awards (seven of them consecutive), and eight Billboard Music Awards. Their reign as the best-selling duo in country music lasted until Brooks & Dunn surpassed them in the 1990s. The Judds’ farewell tour in 1991 marked the end of an era, prompted by Naomi’s hepatitis C diagnosis.
The Judds reunited in 1999 for a New Year’s Eve concert sponsored by K-Mart, generating significant revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships. In 2000, they embarked on a tour, releasing four new songs that further boosted their earnings. The “Last Encore” tour in 2010, spanning 18 cities, was a commercial triumph, leading to the release of a new album in April 2011, “I Will Stand by You: The Essential Collection.” This album featured two new songs and twelve of their greatest hits, further capitalizing on their enduring popularity.
Wynonna’s Solo Career: Expanding Her Financial Empire
Following The Judds’ disbandment, Wynonna embarked on a solo career with MCA Records, adopting the mononymous stage name Wynonna. Her solo debut occurred on television at the American Music Awards in January 1992, where she performed her first single, “She Is His Only Need.” The single reached #1 on the Billboard country singles charts, setting the stage for her self-titled debut album. The album spawned three additional #1 singles: “I Saw the Light,” “My Strongest Weakness,” and “No One Else on Earth.”
Wynonna’s second album, “Tell Me Why,” released in 1993, achieved platinum status, selling over one million copies. It featured five consecutive Top Ten hits on the country charts: “Only Love,” “Is It Over Yet,” “Rock Bottom,” “Girls with Guitars” (written by Mary Chapin Carpenter), and “Tell Me Why.” This album solidified her status as a leading solo artist and significantly contributed to her net worth. In 1993, Wynonna was honored with the ACM Female Artist of the Year award, a testament to her widespread recognition and commercial success.
In 1996, Wynonna released her third album, “Revelations,” which was also certified platinum. The album’s lead single, “To Be Loved by You,” became her fourth and final #1 hit. Her fourth album under MCA, “The Other Side,” achieved gold certification, although its sales did not match the success of her earlier releases. Wynonna subsequently left MCA for Mercury Records. In 1999, Wynonna released her fifth solo album, “New Day Dawning.” In 2003, she released her sixth studio album, “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” which included a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Burning Love.” Her album “Her Story: Scenes from a Lifetime” was released in 2005.
In 2009, Wynonna released “Sing: Chapter 1,” which comprised mostly cover songs. She released the new single “Love It Out Loud” in May 2011. In March 2013, she released the single “Something You Can’t Live Without” from her upcoming album. Her album “Wynonna & The Big Noise” was released on February 12, 2016. The album produced two singles: “Jesus and a Jukebox” and “Things I Lean On.” In October 2020, Wynonna released “Recollections.”
Following her mother’s passing, Wynonna announced that she would honor their original tour dates for summer 2022 as a tribute to Naomi. This tour was chronicled in the documentary “Wynonna Judd: Between Heaven and Hell,” which aired in April 2023. The tour generated substantial revenue through ticket sales, merchandise, and related media coverage, adding to her financial success.
Television Appearances and Other Ventures
Beyond her music career, Wynonna has diversified her income streams through various television appearances. She voiced the character Molly Cule in the animated series “The Magic School Bus.” In 1999, she appeared on “Blue’s Clues.” Wynonna also guest-starred as a singer on the fifth season of “Touched by an Angel” and made a guest appearance on “Hope & Faith” in 2005.
In 2007, Wynonna starred in a special television event on NBC titled “Wynonna: A Tribute on Ice,” which featured skating champions Kimmie Meissner and Brian Boitano. This event likely generated income through performance fees and associated media rights. She also hosted season four of USA’s “Nashville Star.” Additionally, Wynonna participated as a contestant on season 16 of “Dancing with the Stars,” partnered with Tony Dovolani, though they were the first couple eliminated. While her time on the show was brief, it likely resulted in an appearance fee. In November 2022, the concert special “CMT Presents The Judds: Love is Alive – The Final Concert” aired, recreating The Judds’ original farewell concert from 1991. This event further capitalized on the legacy of The Judds and generated revenue through broadcasting rights and related media.
Personal Life: Marriage and Family
Wynonna married Arch Kelley III in 1996. They had a son, Elijah Judd, in December 1994. The couple had a second child after marrying in 1995 but divorced in 1998. Her second husband was D.R. Roach, whom she married in November 2003, but she filed for divorce five days later. Judd married Cactus Moser, the drummer for Highway 101, on June 10, 2012. In June 2018, Wynonna’s daughter, Grace, was sentenced to eight years in prison for violating probation after pleading guilty to the possession, manufacturing, and distribution of methamphetamines. In April 2022, Naomi Judd died of suicide by gunshot, 19 days after the final performance of The Judds at the 2022 CMT Music Awards and the day before The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, Wynonna and her sister Ashley paid tribute to their mother on stage.
