MINDY MCCREADY
DEAD AT 37
DEAD AT 37
Country
singer Mindy McCready dead of apparent suicide
singer Mindy McCready dead of apparent suicide
Brian Mansfield and William M.
Welch, USA TODAY11:07p.m. EST February 17, 2013
Welch, USA TODAY11:07p.m. EST February 17, 2013
(Photo:
Mark Humphrey, Associated Press)
Mark Humphrey, Associated Press)
Mindy
McCready, a country singer better known recently for her ongoing personal
troubles than for her string of late-’90s hits, died Sunday of an apparent
self-inflicted gunshot wound in her Arkansas home, the Cleburne County sheriff
said.
McCready, a country singer better known recently for her ongoing personal
troubles than for her string of late-’90s hits, died Sunday of an apparent
self-inflicted gunshot wound in her Arkansas home, the Cleburne County sheriff
said.
Sheriff Marty Moss said
his office received a call to the McCready home around 3:30 p.m. local time in
Heber Springs, Ark., west of Memphis and north of Little Rock.
his office received a call to the McCready home around 3:30 p.m. local time in
Heber Springs, Ark., west of Memphis and north of Little Rock.
“Ms. McCready is
deceased from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Moss told
USA TODAY.
deceased from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Moss told
USA TODAY.
In a statement, he said
officers arrived on the scene at 3:58 p.m. and found McCready’s body on the
front porch. The case is under investigation but self-inflicted gunshot is the
preliminary finding; McCready will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab
for an autopsy. Moss said her family has been notified of her death.
officers arrived on the scene at 3:58 p.m. and found McCready’s body on the
front porch. The case is under investigation but self-inflicted gunshot is the
preliminary finding; McCready will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab
for an autopsy. Moss said her family has been notified of her death.
Earlier Sunday night,
Dateline NBC correspondent Andrea Canning tweeted, “Just got a call from
Mindy McCready’s best friend that she shot and killed herself this evening. My
heart breaks for her two boys.” Nashville television reporter Stacy
McCloud tweeted that four sources, including a member of McCready’s family, had
confirmed the singer’s suicide and that a statement from the family was in the
works.
Dateline NBC correspondent Andrea Canning tweeted, “Just got a call from
Mindy McCready’s best friend that she shot and killed herself this evening. My
heart breaks for her two boys.” Nashville television reporter Stacy
McCloud tweeted that four sources, including a member of McCready’s family, had
confirmed the singer’s suicide and that a statement from the family was in the
works.
As the news spread,
members of the country music community began tweeting their reactions,
including Carrie Underwood, who wrote, “I grew up listening to Mindy
McCready …so sad for her family tonight. Many prayers are going out to
them.”
members of the country music community began tweeting their reactions,
including Carrie Underwood, who wrote, “I grew up listening to Mindy
McCready …so sad for her family tonight. Many prayers are going out to
them.”
“Really really sad to
learn the news about Mindy McCready,” Chely Wright tweeted. “I will
pray for her children and I hope that people are gentle with her memory.”
learn the news about Mindy McCready,” Chely Wright tweeted. “I will
pray for her children and I hope that people are gentle with her memory.”
McCready’s country hits
hits included her 1996 debut single, Ten Thousand Angels, and the
chart-topping Guys Do It All the Time. She released her last album, I’m
Still Here, in 2010.
hits included her 1996 debut single, Ten Thousand Angels, and the
chart-topping Guys Do It All the Time. She released her last album, I’m
Still Here, in 2010.
Canning interviewed
McCready for Dateline after the singer’s boyfriend, record
producer David Wilson, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound last month.
McCready for Dateline after the singer’s boyfriend, record
producer David Wilson, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound last month.
“I just started
screaming, calling 911” after Wilson shot himself, McCready told Canning.
“I laid down next to him. I just pleaded with him not to die.”
screaming, calling 911” after Wilson shot himself, McCready told Canning.
“I laid down next to him. I just pleaded with him not to die.”
McCready entered rehab
shortly after Wilson’s death.
shortly after Wilson’s death.
The couple’s son, Zayne,
was born last April. McCready also had a 6-year-old son, Zander, from a previous
relationship.
was born last April. McCready also had a 6-year-old son, Zander, from a previous
relationship.
McCready moved to
Nashville from Florida when she was 18, handing out copies of her karaoke
recordings. She signed to RCA Records within a year. In 1996, USA TODAY gave
first album Ten Thousand Angels a three-star review, writing
“McCready’s voice is both genuine and pretty.”
Nashville from Florida when she was 18, handing out copies of her karaoke
recordings. She signed to RCA Records within a year. In 1996, USA TODAY gave
first album Ten Thousand Angels a three-star review, writing
“McCready’s voice is both genuine and pretty.”
As she prepared for her
first tour, she told USA TODAY, “I have no stage experience. I’m scared to
death. I sing so good in the shower, and then I get out onstage and I’m, like,
quivering and fixing to cry.”
first tour, she told USA TODAY, “I have no stage experience. I’m scared to
death. I sing so good in the shower, and then I get out onstage and I’m, like,
quivering and fixing to cry.”
In 1997, she became
engaged to Dean Cain, star of the TV series Lois & Clark: The New
Adventures of Superman, though the couple broke up in 1998. She also
claimed to have had a long-term affair with Major League Baseball pitcher Roger
Clemens that began when she was 15.
engaged to Dean Cain, star of the TV series Lois & Clark: The New
Adventures of Superman, though the couple broke up in 1998. She also
claimed to have had a long-term affair with Major League Baseball pitcher Roger
Clemens that began when she was 15.
Over the last decade,
McCready made more headlines for her run-ins with the law than for her music,
with arrests for buying painkillers with a fake prescription, identity theft,
battery and violating probation.
McCready made more headlines for her run-ins with the law than for her music,
with arrests for buying painkillers with a fake prescription, identity theft,
battery and violating probation.
McCready had attempted suicide at least three times. She was
hospitalized in July and September 2006 following drug overdoses and then again
in December 2008 after she cut her wrists. In 2010, she appeared on the TV
reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.