Today in 1984, RCA recording artists The Judds made their first stage appearance, opening for the Statler Brothers in Omaha, Nebraska.
The duo signed to RCA Records in 1983 and released six studio albums between then and 1991. The Judds were one of the most successful acts in country music history, winning five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. They also had 25 singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, of which 14 went to No. 1. After eight successful years as a duet, the Judds ceased performing in 1991 after Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Soon after, Wynonna embarked on a highly successful solo career. The two have occasionally reunited for special tours, the most recent of which began in late 2010.
In 1983, they got their big break when Naomi convinced a record producer whose child she had cared for as a nurse to come to her home and listen to the act. The producer was “charmed” and the duo was signed by RCA and Curb.
The Judds’ first release for RCA/Curb was an extended play titled Wynonna & Naomi. The release consisted of six songs, two of which were issued as singles to promote it. First was “Had a Dream (For the Heart)”, a song written by Dennis Linde and originally cut by Elvis Presley as the B-side to his 1976 single “Hurt”. The Judds’ rendition was their first entry on the Hot Country Songs charts, where it peaked at No. 17. Next was “Mama He’s Crazy”, written by Kenny O’Dell. In mid-1984, this song became the first of eight consecutive No. 1 singles for the duo on the country music charts, while also earning the duo its first Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal the following year.
The Judds’ first full-length studio album, Why Not Me, was issued in 1984. Steve Huey of Allmusic wrote that the album “took its place as a classic of modern country, establishing the Judds as spokeswomen for a new generation of female country music fans.” Three singles were issued from it: the title track, which earned a second Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, followed by “Girls Night Out” and “Love Is Alive”. The album went on to sell a million copies in the United States.
Rockin’ with the Rhythm (1985) accounted for four more singles. First was “Have Mercy”, which held the No. 1 position on Hot Country Songs for two weeks, making it their only song to hold that position for more than a single week. “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days)” came next. Released in February 1985, the song won both a third Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, along with Grammy Award for Best Country Song, both awarded in 1987. Following these were “Rockin’ with the Rhythm of the Rain” and “Cry Myself to Sleep”.
Source: Wikipedia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDI8oUYWO48
