“It’s to keep me cool, babe,” says country superstar Wynonna when asked why two fans—not the ones in the audience—blow on her throughout the live concert DVD/CD she’s just released, Her Story: Scenes From a Lifetime (Curb Records), on which the belter-balladeer celebrates 20 years of making hits with mama Naomi Judd and then as a solo artist. “But if it also makes me look like I’m on my Harley, it’s OK with me.”
I would think gay men love you because you’re a
classic diva—big voice, big emotions, big hair…
Big thighs. No, I think it’s because I overdo it.
I try to do things really big. I’ve always been
this way—I was always making my hair redder or
wearing more sparkle. Whether they’re gay or
straight, people are drawn to someone who has a lot of
life going on.
I would think lesbians love you because you’re
take-no-shit tough, you ride a Harley, and
you’ve sung on an Olivia cruise.
Yeah, I received a standing ovation when I did
the song “Mama, He’s Crazy” [her
first number 1 with the Judds], and it came to the chorus,
and I went [she sings]: “Mama, she’s
crazy.” I thought there was going to be a riot;
they went ballistic.
Because you were on the boat—on the
cruise—did anyone wrongly assume you were
on the boat, so to speak?
No, because my husband came up to put on my guitar, and
I said, “Thanks, honey.”
Ultraconservatives started a letter-writing campaign when
it was announced you were going to perform on the
cruise. Do you have anything to say to them about tolerance?
Honestly, when that mail started, the first thing [I
thought] was, Fear is a terrible thing. I’m a
Judd, not a judge. My job is to lighten the spirit and
love the heck out of people who feel really unloved.
Did you always know you had a gay following?
Yes. I will tell you, I think people identify
with me because I’ve always felt like I
didn’t fit in, and I’m drawn to them because
it’s a natural connection.
But you stay out of the political scene.
I’m not trying to gloss over it—if
you’re around me, I have many gay employees.
Everybody that knows me knows my heart. But I don’t
get involved a lot with panels of people because
it’s just a pissing contest, and it’s
not my style. I home-school, and I’m raising my kids
with absolute tolerance. They know they are loved and
that we all deserve it.
Have you ever seen a drag queen do Wynonna?
I had a yard sale after my divorce [from her first
husband, the father of her children Elijah, 10, and
Grace, 9] where 5,000 people came, and one man in
particular bought several pairs of my shoes. You know
you’ve made it when a drag queen comes to your yard
sale and buys your stuff!
In 2003 you married D.R. Roach, a man who was your
bodyguard and road manager for 14 years. How did
like turn to love?
We went to visit a friend of mine who was dying,
and that day I met the spirit man [in him]. Prior to
that he was a worker in a suit—very close to
me, but I couldn’t see past the suit and the job.
Speaking of your kids, in another eight years or so will
there be a new set of Judds, with you as Mama this time?
Oh, Lord help me. I’d have to get my own
bus, I’ll tell you that. I can’t even
imagine it, but if it happened, obviously it would be the
road they’re supposed to be on.
Do you and the kids do a lot of harmonizing at home?
We’re not there yet. We’re in
unison at this point. Loud and in unison.
You seem to have found a lot more balance in your
life—does that include the overeating
issues you’ve talked about in the past?
It depends on what state I’m in—and
what state I’m in. If I’m in California,
I try to eat healthy. If I’m in Texas, it’s
hard not to order barbecue. Like I said, I do
everything big, and whether it’s love or money
or food, it’s gotten me in a lot of trouble. So
I’m working on the word moderation.
When you get to heaven, what would you like to be greeted
by—a great song, or a great dish of food?
I’ve been told there’s no food in
heaven. I just want to meet Elvis.
These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.
If you would like to submit a comment for posting, please fill out the form above.
All comments submitted via this form are subject to posting or publication. (To send a private letter to an Advocate editor or writer, please use the e-mail button at the top of the page, or use snail mail.) If you would like your comment considered for publication in The Advocate magazine, please include your full name, your city of residence, and a phone number where you can be reached during business hours so that we can confirm your identity. Your e-mail address and telephone number are strictly confidential and will not be shared or used for any purpose other than to contact you about your comment.
See the Contact page for sending comments for reasons other than responding to Advocate editorial and news stories.
Please note that comments sent by fax or snail mail are unlikely to be posted, although they will be considered for publication along with all letters received via e-mail or via this Web page. Comments that chiefly concern Advocate.com content will be considered for posting only on the Web site. The Advocate reserves the right to edit submitted comments for grammar, spelling, obscenities, or libel; we will, however, do our best to preserve the original comment's style and intent. Comments considered for publication in The Advocate magazine may also be edited for length.
Home | Contact | Current Issue | LGBT Community Partners | Staff
Career Opportunities | Help
Subscribe: Print Edition Digital Edition | Subscriber Services: Print Edition Digital Edition
Visit our Websites
Out.com | OutTraveler.com | HIVPlusMag.com | Alyson.com | HereTV.com | GayWired.com | SheWired.com
Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Community Guidelines | Legal Notice
Advocate.com © 2009 Regent Entertainment Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.
