Wynonna Judd Opens Up About 'Complicated Love, Loss, Longing' After Mother Naomi Judd's Death

Wynonna Judd offered a raw, "reflective perspective" on the complicated emotions that linger after losing her mother, Naomi Judd.

Judd debuted "Hear Me Now," featuring Iron & Wine, on Tuesday (September 29). She co-wrote the ballad with Sam Beam, "capturing the complicated love, loss, and longing that remain after her mother's passing," states a press release. "At its heart, "Hear Me Now" is a conversation she can no longer have-wondering what Naomi would think of the woman she is today and whether, given another chance, they might still find their way back to harmony." Naomi Judd died on April 30, 2022. She was 76. The award-winning artist was one half of mother-daughter duo The Judds, known for "Why Not Me," "Mama He's Crazy," "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)," "Love Is Alive" and many other hits over the years.

"This song represents where I'm at right now," Judd explained in the release. "It's me looking around at what's still here, what's gone, and what I'm still carrying with me. There are little snapshots and references in these lyrics that probably won't make sense to anybody but me, and I love that. They're pieces of my life. So much of my story is wrapped up in my mother, and I still wonder what she would think if she could hear me now. Would she roll her eyes? Would she be surprised? Would she harmonize? Writing this with Sam Beam gave me a place to put those questions, because losing someone doesn't mean the conversation ends. I still talk to Mom. I still hear her. And every once in a while, when I'm singing, I wonder if she's listening."

Judd is getting ready to release "the post personal album of her storied career," The Hard Truth, on Friday (October 2). The 11-track solo album features Judd's first-ever co-writes, pulling from "extraordinary triumph, profound loss, and everything in between," the press release states. Judd's husband and musical partner, Cactus Moser, produced the project.

"She was really open and vulnerable with the stories she shared," Beam said of Judd in the release. "I was surprised at how determined she was about trying something new, and she talked a lot about how much Joni Mitchell 's music meant to her. I wanted to give her something in that vein. A great collaborator."

1. Prelude (All Downhill From Ashland)

2. All Downhill From Ashland

3. Everything (feat. Patterson Hood)

4. Am I Missing Out

5. Broken And Blessed

6. Hear Me Now (feat. Iron & Wine)

7. The Hopeful Lie (feat. The War And Treaty)

8. Kentucky Queen

9. Girl Who Could Sing

10. Drive

11. Love Ain't Got The Best Of Me

"I've spent a lifetime singing about heartbreak, healing, faith, and survival, but I've never made a record like this one," Judd said when she announced The Hard Truth. "These songs tell the truth about where I've been, what I've lost, what I've overcome, and who I've become. This album asked me to be brave enough to tell the truth-even when my voice shook. It challenged me to let go of perfectionism and embrace the beauty of honest emotion."

Shortly after she releases The Hard Truth, Judd will kick off "The Hard Truth Tour." The album "holds some of the most honest moments I've ever put to music. It's about the things that shape us, break us, heal us, and keep us moving forward. Bringing these songs to the stage feels like inviting you into that journey with me."

Scroll below to find the list of tour dates, and listen to "Hear Me Now" here: