On Dec. 12 Naomi and Wynona Judd will be bringing their “The Last Encore” tour to Arco Arena. The Judds have partnered with The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) for an original television series that will follow them as they prepare for the launch of their first and final tour in 10 years. The series will debut in 2011.

Naomi Judd gave an interview to The Sacramento Press along with other local media markets in preparation for the new tour. During the interview, she was asked numerous questions regarding her upcoming tour.

Addressing the question of what her fans could expect, Naomi discussed the fact that many of her tried-and-true classics would be there as well as four new Judd songs and some holiday songs. She also stated that since the relationship between her and Wynonna is “nanosecond-to-nanosecond,” there should be some great moments for the audience.

Naomi had a simple message when asked about how she is able to keep the more traditional sound and also fit the needs of today's country radio. She stated that they do not try to keep up with today’s music and instead are just themselves.

“I think a lot of music out there today is a counterfeit phony of the original, and Wynonna and I try to make this new sound – what we would be doing today if we never quit,” she said.

Wynonna and Naomi have named St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as their charitable sponsor for “The Last Encore” tour and have pledged to donate 15 percent of the profit from their VIP/fan packages to the hospital.

“They are the most fabulous hospital, I think, in America,” Naomi said. “Being a nurse and (traveling) all over the country on different health-related issues and I am in hospitals all the time. Anytime I go to do a speaking thing, like mental health, I will go to see the new neurosciences and what the new meds are. So, I know St. Jude’s is the Rolls Royce of children’s hospitals. Seventy percent of their funding is donations: It is you and I that supply the money.”

With her work in neuroscience and children’s hospitals, Naomi wants to start a “cutting-edge neurology clinic” when the tour ends.

Since it is most likely her last tour, as the name implies, she wants to put her resources to good work in helping to fight Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Her new science center will have a cutting-edge neuroscience research lab and an attached media center to help educate the public on the research being done.

Naomi will be a big part of the media center and wants to “help people understand the incredible power their choices have.”

In 1995, Naomi was considered a miracle for overcoming Hepatitis-C. When discussing how that had affected her she said, “I think he who looks back with regret dies of remorse – I just never played that game.”

She said she believes her struggles have helped her be a better person and have also helped her music. But, more importantly, she believes it has helped her family relationship.

“I think one of the best things and most-loving things a mother can do is to stand in her child’s shadow,” she said, referring to the fact that Wynonna, for years, had lived in Naomi’s shadow, not vocally or musically, but still in her shadow.

Now, Naomi is proud that she gets to stand in Wynonna’s shadow for a while. They have “cut the umbilical cord” and formed a stronger and more prosperous bond between them.

Naomi said she believes the relationship between her and Wynonna has evolved and improved over the last few years.

“There is something with the intricacy and complexity of the mother-daughter relationship that somehow resonates with other people and not just mothers and daughters,” she said. “Certainly everyone is a daughter, but not everyone is a mother. There is something so primal and so emotionally complex inherent in that relationship that is always going to be ever-changing. There is nothing you can control, nothing you can predict. And that in itself makes for a good concert and TV show – and keeps therapists in business.”

Recently, Naomi wrote a book entitled “Aging Gratefully,” and in it she talks about being the best you can be in life.

Since she has turned 60, she has learned to let go of what does not work and at least try something new every day. Every day is a new chance for her to “get quiet with myself and re-evaluate.”

She said she is content with who she is at this moment and says she is the healthiest, happiest and most fit she has ever been.

Now that Naomi is more content in her life and living day-to-day, she is very open about the fact that if things had not changed between her and Wynonna, they would not be doing this tour.

For years they had lived a rough and often-difficult relationship and Naomi now believes “this is a chance for us to practice what we have learned. I have high expectation for myself and thought long and hard before I committed. This is my final stand.”

Since this is her final stand, she is extremely excited to share it with Oprah Winfrey.

When asked what their special bond was she responded, “I mean, how do you define love?”

This simple sentence summed up so much of how Naomi feels in life today. Her relationship with Oprah now carries through to much of her life; from the simple hand-holding she has with Oprah to the feeling of sisterhood that has nothing to do with them both being in entertainment.

This same feeling of sisterhood carries through to Dolly Parton, a singer with whom Naomi also has a special bond.

She said she loves when she can call Parton and have her come to the house without makeup, without a wig and in everyday pants. They are not only friends, but Parton is someone Naomi looks up to. She respects the way she works with her family and still managers her career.

The final question of the night came from The Sacramento Press and was, “What have you learned over the years that has changed your life and helped your music?”

After a second of chuckling and a “WHOOOO, that’s the final question,” Naomi answered, “I realize that I am totally culpable for everything that is going on in my life. And it has to do with self esteem; self esteem is the No. 1 indicator for how happy I am going to be, how healthy I am going to be and even how long I am going to live.

“I have to become the best I can be at this moment in time. That involves finding out what is not working for me, how I created the dilemma, forgiving myself and others and then taking the next step toward trying to become more whole.”

When the interview ended, it was obvious that Naomi has done a lot of self contemplation over the last few years. Her demeanor was laid-back, and her approach to life open and honest. If this tour really is her last, it will more than likely be an amazing adventure for all who see it not to mention for all the children it helps at St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

The Judds recently launched their brand-new website –TheJuddsTour2010.com, which is the ultimate fan headquarters for all Judd-related details including a comprehensive listing of upcoming tour dates.

Complete Listing of Tour Dates:

11/26 – Green Bay WI – Resch Center
11/27 – Mt. Pleasant, MI – Soaring Eagle Casino
11/28 – Moline, IL – i wireless Center
11/30 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino
12/2 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
12/3 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
12/4 – St. Charles, MO – Family Arena
12/5 – Council Bluffs, IA – Mid-America Center
12/7 – Colorado Springs, CO – World Arena
12/8 – Broomfield, CO – 1STBANK Center
12/9 – Salt Lake City, UT – EnergySolutions Arena
12/11 – Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
12/12 – Sacramento, CA – ARCO Arena
12/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
12/16 – Santa Ynez, CA – Chumash Casino
12/17 – Rancho Mirage, CA – Agua Caliente Casino
12/18 – Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay Events Center/Arena
12/19 – Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center
 

Marc McLaughlin is a Contributing Writer and Photographer with Sacramento Press