Mindy McCready | |
|---|---|
 McCready in 1996 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Malinda Gayle McCready[1][2] |
| Born | (1975-11-30)November 30, 1975[2] Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | February 17, 2013(2013-02-17) (aged 37)[2] Heber Springs, Arkansas, U.S.[3] |
| Genres | Country[2] |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1995–2013 |
| Labels | BNA,Capitol Nashville, Iconic |
Malinda Gayle McCready (November 30, 1975 – February 17, 2013)[4] was an Americancountry music singer. Active from 1995 until her death in 2013, she recorded a total of five studio albums. Her debut album, 1996'sTen Thousand Angels, was released onBNA Records and was certified 2× Platinum by theRIAA, while 1997'sIf I Don't Stay the Night was certified Gold. 1999'sI'm Not So Tough, her final album for BNA, was less successful, and she left the label. Aself-titled fourth album followed in 2002 onCapitol Records. McCready's fifth and final studio album,I'm Still Here, was released in March 2010 on Iconic Records.
McCready's first four studio albums yielded twelve singles on theBillboard country singles charts. This figure includes theNo. 1 hit "Guys Do It All the Time", as well as the Top 10 hits "Ten Thousand Angels" and "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)".
Although she had not charted a single since 2002, McCready received significant media coverage regarding her troubled personal life andsuicide attempts and her eventual death by suicide.
Born Malinda Gayle McCready inFort Myers, Florida, McCready began singing in her localPentecostal church at age 3[5] and graduated from high school at the age of 16 to begin her music career early.[2]
When she was 18, McCready moved toNashville, where she was signed by BNA Records. Her debut album,Ten Thousand Angels, was released in 1996 and sold two million copies. The album produced four chart singles on the country charts: the title track at No. 6, followed by her first and only Number One hit, "Guys Do It All the Time". This song, in turn, was succeeded by "Maybe He'll Notice Her Now", a duet withRichie McDonald, then the lead vocalist ofLonestar. The fourth and final single, "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)", peaked at No. 4.[6]
In 1997, she was nominated for Top New Female Vocalist at theAcademy of Country Music Awards, but lost toLeAnn Rimes.
The next year, McCready released the albumIf I Don't Stay the Night. The album spawned three singles, "What If I Do", "The Other Side of This Kiss", and "You'll Never Know". The album sold 825,000 copies.[7]
In 1999, McCready releasedI'm Not So Tough. The first single, "All I Want Is Everything", failed to break the top 50. The album was a commercial failure, selling 144,000 copies. Soon after, McCready's record company dropped her. McCready was then signed byCapitol Records. She released herself-titled album with Capitol in 2002 to disappointing sales and was dropped by Capitol later that year.[7]
In May 2008, McCready released the single "I'm Still Here" via her official website. She also announced that she had been working on a documentary, a new album, and a reality show.[8] McCready's critically acclaimed fifth album,I'm Still Here, was released in March 2010.[9]
On February 18, 2013, the day after McCready's death, her final song, "I'll See You Yesterday" was released.[10]
In June 2009, McCready signed on to appear on the reality seriesCelebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.[11] The series aired and depicted her struggle with substance addiction.[12] She later discussed her recovery and possible studio work with Todd Gaither on a March 2010 episode ofThe View.[episode needed]
In mid-2011, McCready appeared on an episode of each ofCelebrity Close Calls andCelebrity Ghost Stories. She also appeared on the December 9, 2011, episode of20/20, where she discussed her son Zander, her producer boyfriend David Wilson, and new music.
In 1997, McCready became engaged to actorDean Cain;[13] the couple ended their engagement and separated the following year.[14] McCready also dated then-NHL hockey playerDrake Berehowsky.[15]
In December 2003, she began dating aspiring singer William Patrick "Billy" McKnight. On May 8, 2005, McKnight was arrested and charged with attempted murder after beating and choking her.[7][16] After reporting toPeople magazine that she had cut ties with McKnight, McCready was found unconscious in a hotel lobby inIndian Rocks Beach, Florida, after attemptingsuicide in July 2005. She was hospitalized for a drug overdose after consuming a large amount of undisclosed drugs with alcohol.[17] Despite this, the couple soon got back together and McCready became pregnant. In September 2005, while she was pregnant with McKnight's child, she attempted suicide again by overdosing onantidepressants.[18] In March 2006, McCready gave birth to a son, Zander Ryan McCready.[19]
On December 17, 2008, paramedics were called to McCready's Nashville home after an apparent suicide attempt; they transported her to a hospital after finding wounds on her wrists.[20]
In 2009, she joined the cast ofCelebrity Rehab 3 with Dr. Drew Pinsky.[21]
On May 25, 2010, McCready was hospitalized inCape Coral, Florida, for a possible drug overdose; she may have had a reaction toDarvocet her mother had given her.[22] She was released later that day and returned home.[23]
A pornographic videotape of McCready and an ex-boyfriend referred to as "Peter"[24] went on sale byVivid Entertainment in 2010.[25]
In April 2012, McCready gave birth to her second child, a son named Zayne.[26] The child's father, record producer David Wilson, was found dead on January 13, 2013, at McCready's home, of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Cleburne County, Arkansas, sheriff's department opened an investigation into Wilson's death.[27][28] Following Wilson's death, McCready released a statement in which she referred to him as her "soulmate" and "life partner".[29]
In April 2008, theNew York Daily News reported a possible long-term relationship between McCready and baseball starRoger Clemens that began when she was 15.[30] Clemens's attorney admitted that a relationship existed but described McCready as a "close family friend." He also stated that McCready had traveled on Clemens's plane and that Clemens's wife knew McCready.[30] Clemens issued a statement saying, "I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry."[31]
In November 2008, McCready spoke in more detail toInside Edition about her affair with Clemens. She stated that their relationship lasted for a decade, ending when Clemens refused to marry her. Additionally, McCready said that she was 16 when they first met and that the relationship didn't become sexual until several years later.[32]
In August 2004, McCready was arrested inTennessee for using a fake prescription to buy the painkillerOxyContin. Although she initially denied the charge, she pleaded guilty and was finedUS$4,000 (equivalent to $6,700 in 2024), sentenced to three years ofprobation, and ordered to perform 200 hours ofcommunity service.[33][34]
In May 2005, McCready was stopped by Nashville police for speeding, then arrested and charged withdriving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.[35] A jury later found her not guilty on the charges of DUI but guilty of driving with a suspended license.[36] That July, she was charged inArizona withidentity theft, unlawful use of transportation, unlawful imprisonment, and hindering prosecution.[37] An arrestwarrant was issued for her the following month for violation of her probation when she left Tennessee without her probation officer's permission. She was also charged with not reporting to her probation officer during July.[38] She was finally arrested in Florida and returned to Tennessee. She faced a hearing later that year on charges of violating her probation on a drug charge by failing to check in with her probation officer and leaving the state without permission to go toFlorida.[39]
In July 2007, McCready was arrested in her hometown ofFort Myers, Florida, and charged with battery and resisting arrest for an apparent scuffle with her mother.[40] The following week, she was taken into custody at theNashville International Airport for violating probation.[41] In September, McCready was sentenced to a year in jail for violating probation. In addition to the jail time, she was ordered to serve two more years of probation and perform 200 additional hours of community service. She was released from jail in December.[42]
In June 2008, McCready was arrested in Tennessee for violating the terms of her probation set in September 2007.[43] Sentenced to 60 days in jail, McCready turned herself in on September 30, 2008.[44] After serving half of her sentence, she was released early for good behavior on October 30, 2008.[45]
McCready was associated with and allegedly victimized by con man Jonathan Roda.[46] The case was featured on the 2012 episode "Got to Make You a Superstar" of the seriesI (Almost) Got Away with It.[47]
On February 17, 2013, McCready's neighbors called the Sheriff's Office ofCleburne County, Arkansas, reporting gunshots. McCready was found dead on her front porch from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the same place where David Wilson, her former boyfriend and the father of her younger son, had fatally shot himself one month prior.[48][49] She was 37 years old.[3][50] She also shot and killed Wilson's pet dog before her suicide.[48][51] McCready is interred at Alva Cemetery inAlva, Florida.
| Year | Organization | Award | Nominee/Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | American Music Awards | Favorite Country New Artist | Mindy McCready | Nominated |
| Academy of Country Music Awards | Top New Female Vocalist | Nominated | ||
| TNN/Music City News Country Awards | Female Star of Tomorrow | Nominated |
