Entertainment Music Country Naomi Judd Dead at 76, According to Daughters Ashley and Wynonna: 'We Are Navigating Profound Grief' "We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness," Naomi's daughters, Ashley Judd and Wynonna Judd, wrote in a statement By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Instagram Twitter Nicholas Rice is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. People Editorial Guidelines and Sarah Michaud Sarah Michaud Instagram Sarah Michaud is the senior news editor of PEOPLE's music vertical. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 30, 2022 04:22 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Naomi Judd, one half of the iconic country duo The Judds, has died, PEOPLE confirms. She was 76. Naomi's daughters, Ashley Judd and Wynonna Judd, announced their mother's death in a statement obtained by PEOPLE Saturday. "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," the statement read. "We are in unknown territory." The Judds Deliver Stunning Comeback Performance — with a Choir! — at the 2022 CMT Awards The statement, which Ashley, 54, also posted to her Instagram, did not elaborate further or include an exact cause of death. PEOPLE has confirmed Naomi died by suicide. An additional statement from Naomi's husband of 32 years, Larry Strickland, reads: "Naomi Judd's family request privacy during this heartbreaking time. No additional information will be released at this time." Naomi, Ashley and Wynonna Judd in 1999. Robin Platzer/Twin Images/Getty The country legend had been open about her mental health in her 2016 book, River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope, revealing she had suffered from suicidal depression. Naomi Judd. Jeff Kravitz/Getty for CMT "Nobody can understand it unless you've been there," the singer told PEOPLE at the time. "Think of your very worst day of your whole life – someone passed away, you lost your job, you found out you were being betrayed, that your child had a rare disease – you can take all of those at once and put them together and that's what depression feels like." Naomi Judd Reveals She Suffered from Suicidal Depression: 'No One Can Understand It Unless You've Been There' Naomi and Wynonna Judd. The Tyler Twins As part of the mother-daughter duo The Judds, Naomi and Wynonna, 57, garnered 14 No. 1 songs over their decades-long careers. For more on Naomi Judd, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day. Some of The Judds' most popular tunes included, "Mama He's Crazy," "Why Not Me," "Girls Night Out," "Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain," and "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)." The duo stopped performing in 1991 when doctors diagnosed Naomi with hepatitis C, which she had contracted while working as a nurse. The pair had just appeared on the CMT Music Awards show stage earlier this month, where they made their first televised appearance in 20 years. There, the duo performed their 1990 hit "Love Will Build a Bridge" accompanied by a choir of gospel singers, coming together at the end for a touching family moment. Naomi and Wynonna Judd. CMT The family act also recently announced their first tour in over a decade, titled The Final Tour. The 10-date arena tour was set to kick off on Sept. 30 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and would conclude in Nashville on Oct. 28. Naomi and Wynonna were also set to celebrate their induction into Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday. The Judds Enter the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Wynonna Says, 'It's About Damn Time!' "I'll be honest," Wynonna said last August. "I've talked to three people, and immediately the first thing they said was, 'It's about damn time,' and as a daughter, I went, 'Yes, it is.' My mother, to me, is the queen of my parade — and it's time to celebrate her."