HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. — They seemed so triumphant at the time: the lyrics to country music star Mindy McCready’s hope-filled title track to her most-recent album “I’m Still Here.”
Now, those words sound like a cry for help.
“On a cold dark cloud, with nowhere to fall but down, like a single, naked, unrelenting tear … I’m still here.”
On Sunday, McCready, whose turbulent personal life overshadowed her music, was found dead on the front porch of her Arkansas home — the victim, authorities said, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
She was 37. McCready leaves behind two boys — a 6-year-old and a 10-month-old.
Just a month earlier, police had paid another visit to the house in Heber Springs.
On that day, they found the infant’s father — record producer David Wilson — dead on the porch.
He too had apparently taken his own life. He too had used a gun.
Spiraling downward
McCready burst onto the music scene in 1996 with her debut album “Ten Thousand Angels.”
It sold more than 2 million copies. Her chart-topping hit “Guys Do It All The Time” followed that same year.
In all, she put 14 songs and six of her albums on the Billboard Country charts.
But through it all, she was spiraling downward. And the fall was painful and precipitous.
She struggled with addiction and mental illness, often publicly.
In 2004, McCready was placed on three years’ probation after she pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining the painkiller OxyContin at a pharmacy.
The next year, she was arrested for drunk driving in Nashville, and was beaten and choked by ex-boyfriend Billy McKnight, who was charged with attempted murder.
“Yes, things have been going bad,” she said in a CNN interview in 2005.
“I think it’s God’s way of getting my attention saying, ‘You better wake up, girl. I have important stuff for you to do in life,’ and I’ve definitely been preoccupied or sidetracked doing the wrong things.”
Before 2005 ended, McCready had suffered two drug overdoses, was arrested on drug charges, was pregnant with McKnight’s child and, authorities say, attempted suicide.
She attempted suicide again in 2008, authorities say, and had another drug overdose in 2010 before joining the cast of VH1′s “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.”
The reality show chronicles the life of celebrities as they’re treated for alcohol and drug addiction.
Celebrity rehab
Dr. Drew Pinsky said he contacted McCready last month after her boyfriend’s death.
“When I heard she was struggling, I did reach out to her and urged her to go to take care of herself, get in a facility if she felt she needed,” said Pinsky, who hosts his own program on CNN’s sister network HLN.
“Her biggest fear was the stigma of doing so and what people would think if she, God forbid, took care of herself,” he said.
“And this to me is the most distressing part of this story. She is a lovely woman, we have lost her, and it didn’t have to go down like this.”
On one episode of the show, McCready performed “I’m Still Here,” dedicating it to the other cast members, which included Dennis Rodman, Heidi Fleiss and Mackenzie Phillips.
“When I was writing this song, I was in jail,” the singer said tearfully. “I never knew it, but I was writing for all of you.”
Custody battle
In the past few years, McCready waged a public battle for custody of her elder son, Zander.
In 2011, she took the boy from her mother, who had legal custody, and fled with him to her home in Arkansas, saying she had concerns over his safety.
A judge ordered authorities to pick up the boy and days later authorities found McCready hiding with Zander in a closet at her home.
In addition to her relationship with McKnight, McCready had romances with musician David Malloy and actor Dean Cain — as well as admitting to an affair with baseball player Roger Clemens, which he didn’t confirm or deny.
In 2010, Vivid Entertainment released a porn video called “Mindy McCready, Baseball Mistress” that featured McCready having sex with a boyfriend referred to as “Peter” and talking about her exploits with Clemens.
Country outpouring
Sunday night, country music stars offered their condolences as they learned of McCready’s death.
“My heart goes out to Mindy McCready’s family. I knew her well,” LeAnn Rimes said on Twitter. “It’s a horrible tragedy. May peace be with her sons.”
Carrie Underwood said she grew up listening to McCready. And country artist Terri Clark said she had some fun times with her “back in the day.”
“I hope our society shows compassion and realizes the severity and reality of mental illness, and addiction,” she tweeted.
Singer Wynonna Judd posted a series of tweets also calling attention to addiction and mental illness.
“It breaks my heart what addiction continues to take from this life,” she said.
“Addiction is a disEASE & not a character flaw. When the pain becomes too much, it causes people to want that pain to stop. This is just so unbelieveable & so sad.”
In her words
A year ago, McCready posted excerpts of a book she said was upcoming about her life. She acknowledged a difficult upbringing, personal problems and the challenges she faced turning her life around.
“I haven’t had a hit in almost a decade,” she wrote in January 2012 on her official fan website. “I’ve spent my fortune, tarnished my public view and made myself the brunt of punch line after punch line.
“I’ve been beaten, sued, robbed, arrested, jailed, and evicted.
“But I’m still here. With a handful of people that I know and trust, a revived determination, and both middle fingers up in the air, I’m ready. I’ve been here before. I’m a fighter. I’m down, but I’ll never be out.”
But Sunday, on the porch of her home, she may have changed her mind.
49 Comments to “Country Star Mindy McCready Dead in Apparent Suicide”
February 17, 2013 at 7:24 PM
This is so tragic. My prayers to her family, especially the children.
February 17, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Good ol' alcohol again.
February 17, 2013 at 7:34 PM
RIP young lady. So tragic.
February 17, 2013 at 7:46 PM
I blew a load in her snatch last night! Dirty whore.
February 17, 2013 at 8:20 PM
Shame on you!
February 17, 2013 at 8:21 PM
Clean-up on isle 5 !
February 17, 2013 at 9:09 PM
Sve F you are one sick F'K TURD!
February 18, 2013 at 3:34 AM
Its you again!!! I remember you! YOU HAVE A BAD MOUTH! You probably have a bad breath too. You are the one who made a bad comment about Dorner's race. You have a stinky personality and i would rather smell a dead rat. Like I said you died long ago before Dorner.
February 18, 2013 at 9:25 AM
It's probably a kid who has not matured enough to realize how truly insensitive his comments are. One day he will look back on these times and feel really stupid for these comments.
February 18, 2013 at 8:38 AM
People like yourself are precisely why our society is in the condition its in. Do you speak of your own family in this context?
February 18, 2013 at 1:24 PM
YOUR A HEARTLESS PIG!
February 18, 2013 at 2:53 PM
Your absolutly discusting
February 17, 2013 at 8:13 PM
yes right sve f …
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February 17, 2013 at 8:22 PM
A poor woman is dead and her children are parentless. Have some REPECT
February 17, 2013 at 8:25 PM
Her children were parentless from the first second of life. DRUGHEADS. They SHOULD NOT have had ANY children knowing they were sooooo fucked up. Jesus H. Christ.
February 17, 2013 at 8:31 PM
What chick doesn't have mental illness in America these days? They all have their excuse. No wonder marriage rates are plummeting.
February 17, 2013 at 9:08 PM
men and women with emotional/mental issues is the issue and the real problem is getting QUALITY HELP at affordable prices either payment to doctors and/or via insurance!!!!!!!!
February 17, 2013 at 8:44 PM
sadly, saw this coming. She has struggled for years and after her boyfriend/husband's death I had a feeling this might happen. Was his death ruled a suicide? I thought she was under suspicion for murdering him. Now she's gone too and all I can think of is her poor children.
February 17, 2013 at 9:07 PM
RIP precious Angel…
Whatever "issues" you had with mind and body may you now be at peace and for those whom truly knew you may they have strength to carry on and find ways of helping others with mental and/or emotional and/or bodily issues/disease to get real help.
February 17, 2013 at 9:16 PM
I don't understand how they initially ruled her man's death a suicide and now are saying it's still under investigation. Did they not test her hands that day he was shot for gun powder residue/burns? Isn't that always general protocol? If they did they would know if the gun fired came from her or not. If they didn't do this and just believed whoever said he shot himself, then they are idiots. I personally think considering all of her drug and alcohol and mental health issues that they had a fight and she shot him. She regretted it of course and felt deeply saddened and guilty and afraid she would be booked for murder, and decided to end it. Why she had to shoot her dog as well I have no idea. It's like people who commit murder suicides because they love them which is so effed up. I am convinced now that she also shot her dog to death before herself that if her children were still in the home with her she would have shot them too, so thankfully, they were removed as they should have been.
February 17, 2013 at 9:18 PM
People with depression or mental health problems should never own a gun because it's just a matter of time before they use it on themselves or someone else during one of their depressive episodes.
February 17, 2013 at 9:28 PM
Bullets are cheaper than Prozak.
February 17, 2013 at 9:57 PM
A couple of winners.
February 17, 2013 at 10:00 PM
that's breaking news people died everyday.
February 17, 2013 at 10:47 PM
Enjoy Purgatory.
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February 18, 2013 at 5:02 AM
She was a weak individual who only cared about herself and not once about her children! Hopefully her kids will be better off now. Every child needs their mother and for her not to consider this before taking her life only shows how selfish she was!
Everyone has issues & problems and hers were no different than yours or mine, she just chose to make hers public by going on reality T.V. shows and exploit them for a payday.
Like they say…..Only the strong survive.
February 18, 2013 at 8:01 AM
May you have peace now Mindy. And may God always comfort and sustain your family and friends.
February 18, 2013 at 8:01 AM
Loser! Just the same as all druggies.
February 18, 2013 at 8:04 AM
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February 18, 2013 at 8:52 AM
Sad that her young kids are now without parents and sitting in foster care. You would think she would have been happy having a beautiful baby and getting her other child back…guess not.
February 18, 2013 at 9:24 AM
****** PEOPLE DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS THEY LIKELY VIRUS OR MALWARE*****
February 18, 2013 at 9:25 AM
So sad…men and women with emotional/mental issues is the issue and the real problem is getting QUALITY HELP at affordable prices either payment to doctors and/or via insurance!!!!!!!!
Many insurance providers do not even have mental health care…sad.
RIP and may your friends and family find peace and comfort
February 18, 2013 at 10:43 AM
Stupid worthless self grieving inconsiderate snobs. The kids didn't mean anything to them.
February 18, 2013 at 12:59 PM
She shot her dog before killing herself. SICK BITCH. Glad she's gone. That poor INNOCENT dog.
February 20, 2013 at 7:43 AM
Our prayers go out to her family and freinds at tis sad time.
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