Country Music Memories: Wynonna’s Debut Solo Single Hits No. 1

Twenty-nine years ago today (April 11, 1992) was a bittersweet day for Wynonna Judd. It was on that date that she earned her first No. 1 hit as a solo artist, with her debut single, “She Is His Only Need.”

By the time “She Is His Only Need” hit the airwaves, Judd had already had plenty of chances to enjoy being at the top of the charts as one-half of the hit duo the Judds, with her mother, Naomi Judd. But in 1991, the Judds were forced to disband after the elder Judd was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a potentially fatal illness.

“She Is His Only Need,” written by tunesmith Dave Loggins, was the first single off of Wynonna Judd’s self-titled debut solo album. While it marked the first time that the Kentucky native launched out on her own, she made sure that radio promoters remembered her mother. Included on the CDs that were sent to radio stations all over the country was a personal message from Judd, introducing herself, along with a personal request.

“And my only need is for y’all to play it,” she said. “Because I have a mom to support. So thanks.”

If Judd had any worries about not being well received as a solo artist, her fears were unfounded. Her eponymous freshman album sold more than 5 million copies and spawned two more No. 1 singles, “I Saw the Light” and “No One Else on Earth.”

LOOK: The Judds Through the Years