Wynonna Judd felt Loretta Lynn's presence while performing with the late country music artist's granddaughter, Emmy Russell, on the season 22 finale of American Idol.
"I did and I love Loretta," Judd, 59, told ET's Denny Directo from the red carpet of the American Idol finale on Sunday. "She gave me the shirt off her back, literally, and she was the first woman that hugged me in country music."
Judd noted that while she was in the room to give advice to the three finalists on American Idol -- Jack Blocker, Abi Carter, and Will Moseley -- getting the opportunity to sing "No One Else on Earth" with Russell, 24, was especially moving.
"At some point in your life, you find yourself talking to someone in the family that's carrying on what their ancestors started and that's what she's doing," Judd said of Russell.
Judd said that she saw the American Idol gig as a "special night" of "giving back," and offered up that no matter who won the show, they take the advice she learned the hard way and save any money they make throughout their career.
"I'm helping these youngsters out there who need some wisdom and experience," Judd said.
For Judd, getting the chance to perform alongside the granddaughter of her longtime friend and music icon was a full-circle moment, given that less than two years ago, she performed at Lynn's celebration of life memorial service in October 2022. At the event, Judd gave a moving rendition of "How Great Thou Art" alongside Gaither Vocal Group and Larry Strickland.
In the wake of Lynn's death on Oct. 4, 2022, Judd also penned a tribute to the three-time GRAMMY Award winner, thanking her for her contributions to music and her friendship.
"As a young girl, I learned about Loretta from listening to her on the Grand Ole Opry. She was the very first country concert I ever saw," Judd wrote on Instagram at the time.
She continued, "I was 15 and living in a Vegas hotel for a bit, and I would go down to one of the casino showrooms to watch her show every night. I was mesmerized from the first time I saw her walk out onstage in her ball gown."
In February, Russell shocked judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie with an original song called "Skinny" about her battle with an eating disorder. Before she began singing, she told the judges she grew up on a tour bus with a singer grandmother, which is how her familial connection was revealed.
When asked by Bryan to name the performer, she simply replied, "Loretta Lynn," leaving all three judges visibly gobsmacked.
"Your grandma is," Richie said. "What?!"
After singing her own heart-wrenching song at the piano for the judges, she scored a ticket to Hollywood and high praise from the trio.
"You are an A+ songwriter," Perry gushed. "So is your grandma. You got the gift."
She continued, "I don't think you need to compare yourself to what grandma was. You're totally different. You shouldn't give yourself all that pressure."
Russell was ultimately eliminated on May 12 but returned for the American Idol finale. The show airs live on May 19 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET and is available on Hulu the next day.
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