The Judds revealed: Ashley Judd writes painful physical abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, cheating, and emotional neglect

The Judds are going through an unprecedented amount of exposure right now. Youngest daughter Ashley Judd just published a memoir (All That Is Bitter & Sweet) that reveals some of the abuse and chaotic times in her childhood, and Wynonna and Naomi’s new reality show premieres tonight (9 pm EST on OWN) where they publicly and candidly deal with the toxic relationship between the two of them.

Ashley’s book lays everything on the line. For starters, her mother Naomi (real name Diana Judd Ciminella) lied about the biological father of Ashley’s older sister Wynonna (real name Christine Ciminella.) Naomi/Diana got pregnant when she was only 17 while one of her boyfriends was away at college. Even though they had never technically had sex, he believed her when she told him it was his baby (the real father dropped her the minute he found out she was pregnant, and never contacted Wynonna even though he knew she was his daughter.)

The marriage was chaotic, but the man who thought he was Wynonna’s father, and would end up being Ashley’s father, married Diana/Naomi and supported their family through moves to Chicago and L.A. According to Ashley, her mother was unfaithful, and took up with a wannabe actor and heroine addict. Her dad was still into D/N, so he still tried to make the marriage work, but they eventually got divorced. The next few years were full of chaos and upheaval for the family as D/N unsucessfully tried to make it as an actress, then moved to Kentucky to go to nursing school.

During these times, Ashley’s care was often passed off from relative to relative, and she spent a lot of time alone, which lead to bouts of depression, which worsened when she was sexually molested by a random stranger in a shop. Ashley also accounts often being present when adults were engaging in a wide variety of alcohol and drug use. Ashley already felt emotionally needy, but that worsened when her mom began developing her sister’s talents as a singer, and striving full-force to make the two of them country music stars. (Ashley quit singing even privately at a very early age when she discovered her mom and sister were only egging her on to sing her favorite song “You’re So Vain,” so they could make fun of her.)

While it looks like Ashley had a pretty traumatic time on the outside of The Judds phenomenon, it seems like it may have been worse to be on the inside. Wynonna and her mom/partner have fought bitterly over the past 28 years of being successful and influential country music stars, and the now 46-year-old Wynonna didn’t even know that she didn’t share a biological father with Ashley until she was 30 years old.

The Judds first came on the scene in 1983, and have won several Grammys and Country Music Awards. In 1991, after Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C (which she has been cured of), Wynonna struck out with a solo career. The two have frequently reunited, and fought, and reunited. Most recently, after a 10 year break, the two of them went on a 18-city tour, and brought reality cameras and all their emotional baggage with them.

There is reportedly added drama to this already fascinating reality show when The Judds receive a copy of Ashely Judd’s memoir. (CLICK HERE to buy) Sounds like a bumpy ride, but maybe bringing all this out into the open will help them heal and get over the past hurts (what The Judds are doing is similar to what reality star Bethenny Frankel is doing with her troubled past.)

Watch some promo clips below.

PROMO clip

First five minutes: