Naomi Judd Estate Launches Virtual Exhibit Featuring Never-Before-Seen Photos and Memorabilia of the Late Singer: First Look
An online tribute in honor of the late country music star titled 'Artist' is set to launch on May 1
courtesy of the Naomi Judd Estate
Naomi Judd and her husband Larry Strickland at the rehearsal for the 22nd Academy of Country Music Awards in April 1987Fans of the late Naomi Judd will soon be able to feel connected to her in an all-new way.
PEOPLE is able to exclusively announce that the Naomi Judd Estate is set to launch a special virtual exhibit featuring rare, never-before-seen photos and memorabilia from the country music star, who died at age 76 in April 2022.
Titled Artist, the online exhibit will launch via the artifact platform Definitive Authentic on May 1.
courtesy of the Naomi Judd Estate
Naomi Judd photo featured in the 'Artist' online exhibitRelated: Remembering Naomi Judd's Life in Photos
According to a press release, Artist is the first installment of five organized by the late singer-songwriter's estate, Definitive Authentic and Mercy Community Healthcare.
The four additional collections are confirmed to run later in 2024, with each exhibition focusing on a different phase of her life and career.
Artist will examine the country legend's time collaborating with her elder daughter Wynonna in the duet act The Judds.
courtesy of the Naomi Judd Estate
Naomi and Wynonna Judd with their first band, March 1984Fans will be able to see shots of the mother-daughter duo in the early '80s from when they were out on the road on their first band, among other images.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
A copy of the setlist, written in Judd's own handwriting, from when the group took their acclaimed, sixth and final studio album Love Can Build a Bridge out on tour in 1991 will also be on display.
courtesy of the Naomi Judd Estate
'Love Can Build a Bridge' tour setlist with Naomi Judd’s handwritten stage movement cues, 1991The digital gallery includes heartwarming family photos, such as shots of Judd posing with friends and her husband Larry Strickland at events like the 1987 Academy of Country Music Awards, which she co-hosted with her daughter and Patrick Duffy.
Collectibles in Artist include various awards, a personal stage map with handwritten notes, a shooting script for The Judds' classic "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)" music video, messages from fellow country music icons and more.
Strickland, who was married to Judd for 33 years before her death, shared a thoughtful statement in a press release about opening up his wife's archives to fans.
"It is such a blessing for me to honor my wife's life by giving the fans a look into the detailed archives that Naomi kept all of these years," he said. "I'd often walk through the barn and wonder why she insisted on keeping all of these objects that at the time seemed to be collecting dust; however, I now see that these were more than just things. These were her memories... our memories."
The musician added, "These releases are our family's gift to you, her public, for being there for all of us for the past 40 years. I hope they bring you a sense of Peace & Hope in regards to her memory and the Legacy that is Naomi Judd."
courtesy of the Naomi Judd Estate
From left to right: Roger Sovine, Naomi Judd, Conway Twitty, Francis Preston, Wynonna Judd, Harlan Howard, and Reba McEntire, 1985Related: Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd: All About the Famous Sisters and Their Sibling Bond
Kodi Chandler, Director of Hill Entertainment Group + Naomi Judd Estate Archivist, also shared a statement about working on the project. Chandler said, "Naomi kept meticulous records of photographs and artifacts. Through these we are able to explore how she viewed herself. It is our honor to help the family curate these collections for release."
Chandler teased that Artist explores how the "Why Not Me" singer "documented her time" in The Judds and added, "The subsequent collections introduce and revisit other facets of Naomi that we can't wait to share with those who meant the most to her, the fans."
As Judd dedicated a great deal of her life to speaking out about mental health and in support of philanthropic efforts, a portion of the proceeds from Artist will be donated to The Naomi Judd Mental Health Clinic: A Bridge to Hope, the new mental health wing at Mercy Community Healthcare in Franklin, Tennessee.
Artist launches on May 1, the two-year anniversary of when the late musician was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
