A Confession in a Docuseries

larry Strickland, widower of the late country music icon Naomi Judd, has revealed a startling incident from their marriage. In the Lifetime docuseries “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told,” Strickland confirmed that Naomi Judd once shot a gun at him after learning about his infidelity. This revelation sheds new light on the complexities of their 33-year marriage, wich ended with Judd’s tragic death in 2022.

The Memoir and the Movie

The incident was foreshadowed in Judd’s 1993 memoir, “Love Can Build a Bridge.” In the memoir, Judd described being wildly, madly, passionately in love with Strickland, despite his frequent absences from home. The breaking point came when another woman repeatedly called their home, professing her love for Strickland.

The docuseries further explores this tumultuous period. Strickland rewatched a scene from the TV movie “Love Can Build a Bridge” where the actress playing Naomi shoots the character portraying Strickland after discovering his infidelity. His reaction was telling:

Well, it really happened. That’s all I can say. That’s all I’m going to say. It happened.
Larry Strickland, “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told”

The Aftermath of Discovery

Naomi Judd’s initial reaction to the infidelity was intense. She reportedly tore up photos of the couple and threw Strickland’s belongings out of the house. This period marked a important crisis in their marriage, testing the bonds of their relationship.

Naomi Judd’s Passing and Mental Health Struggles

Naomi Judd died on April 30, 2022, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a day before The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.Her death highlighted her long-standing battle with mental health issues. strickland recalled being really scared to death about her flying alone all the way from Vienna back to Nashville ’cause I knew how fragile she was in the days leading up to her death.

her daughter, actress Ashley Judd, publicly disclosed the cause of death, stating, She used a weapon… my mother used a firearm. So that’s the piece of details that we are very uncomfortable sharing, but understand that we’re in a position that if we don’t say it someone else is going to.

Ashley also recounted the events of her mother’s final day: It was a mixed day. I visit with my mom and pop every day when I’m home in Tennessee, so I was at the house visiting as I am every day. mom said to me, ‘Will you stay with me?’ and I said, ‘Of course I will.’… I went upstairs to let her know that her good friend was there and I discovered her. I have both grief and trauma from discovering her.

Complex Family Dynamics

The docuseries also delves into the complicated relationship between naomi Judd and her daughters, Ashley and Wynonna. The sisters spoke candidly about growing up with a young mother and the abuse they suffered from one of her former partners.Wynonna described their mother as both in love with me and terrified of me because I represented what she didn’t know and couldn’t control.

Wynonna believes that generational trauma played a significant role in her mother’s suicide, citing family stuff that never got healed or fixed. Ashley added that Naomi lived with a constellation of her sufferings that led to severe depression.

Jealousy and Success

Strickland also confessed to feeling jealous of naomi’s early success. He admitted, I was jealous as crap of her, you know, so we just kind of fell apart a little bit. This jealousy strained their relationship, particularly after their song “Mama He’s Crazy” reached No. 1.