p until the rise of Brooks & Dunn in the '90s,
the Judds were the most commercially successful
duo in country music history. Mother Naomi and
daughterWynonna enjoyed an astounding run of 14
number one singles from 1984 to 1989, ranking
them as one of the most popular country acts of the
'80s. Their music combined elements of traditional
country harmony singing, bluegrass, and
Appalachian folk with pop, rock, and polished
contemporary production. Moreover, Wynonna's
powerful, bluesy, often sexy lead vocals established
her as one of the finest female country singers of her
era. But even more important than their widely
accessible sound -- or their considerable visual
appeal -- was their sympathetic understanding of
working-class and small-town women, earned
through a long, hard struggle of their own. The
Judd's received numerous awards including five
Grammys.
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Fall 2014, Volume 7, No.36