Country Singer Mindy McCready Dead at 37 of an Apparent Suicide, Self Inflicted Gun Shot Wound … Rest in Peace

The troubled life of country singer Mindy McCready has come to an end. 

Country singer Mindy McCready died Sunday afternoon at the age of 37 of an apparent suicide from what sis being reported at a self inflicted gunshot wound. The Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office is stating that deputies were dispatched to the home of McCready around 3:30 PM in Heber Springs, Arkansas after gun shots were reported.  Police found Mindy McCready on the front porch with a single self inflicted gunshot wound. McCready was pronounced dead at the scene.  McCready has had a long and troubled past in dealing with her demons. She has been arrested multiple times on drug charges and probation violations and has been hospitalized for overdoses on several occasions. McCready had attempted suicide twice before, once in 2005 and again in 2008. Also, the father of her youngest child, record producer David Wilson, was found dead in his home just last month on January 13, 2013 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Mindy McCready was such a talent, but just could not deal with her demons. May she finally rest in eternal peace.

Mindy McCready “You’ll Never Know”

Mindy McCready (November 30, 1975—February 17, 2013)

Mindy McCready, the country singer who soared to the top of the charts with her debut album, “Ten Thousand Angels,” but struggled with substance abuse, served time in jail and fought a lengthy battle with her mother over custody of her son has died of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. She was 37.

Deputies from the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a report of gun shots fired at McCready’s Heber Springs, Ark., home at around 3:30 p.m. today.

There they found McCready on the front porch. She was pronounced dead at the scene from what appeared to be a single self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

20/20 from ABC News :  Mindy McCready Tells Her Story … Sadly she talks about living for her son Zander. That came to an end today

 More on the life and times of Mindy McCready and her star that flamed out far too quickly. Mindy McCready was a Nashville, TN sensation at the age of 20 and took the country music industry by storm. It’s just a shame and should be a wake up call to all as to the real dangers of substance abuse and major depression. Like many of the situations we have seen with mass murder violence, we really need to take a look at the mental health care system in this country. All this talent and she could not defeat the demons.

She arrived in Nashville in 1994 with tapes of her karaoke vocals and earned a recording contract with BNA Records.

In 1996, her “Guys Do It All the Time” hit No. 1 and its dig at male chauvinism endeared her to females. Her other hits included “Ten Thousand Angels,” also in 1996, and her album by that title sold 2 million copies.

However, personal problems plagued her beginning in 2004 and included a custody battle with her mother over one of her sons.

McCready took her older son Zander from her mother and the boy’s legal guardian, Gayle Inge, in late 2011. She fled to Arkansas without permission over what she called child abuse fears. Authorities eventually found McCready hiding in a residence without permission and took the boy into custody.

She and her boyfriend David Wilson had a son, Zayne, in April of 2012. The older son has a different father.

Maybe now Mindy McCready can finally rest in peace. I would rather remember Mindy from her early days in Nashville when her life and career seemed so promising. Mindy McCready’s lyrics of Ten Thousand Angels are rather prophetic on this sad day where she took her life … “It’s time to face my weakness, Look him in the eye. Lord knows it won’t be easy, But I’ve just gotta try.”

Mindy McCready – Ten Thousand Angels

 Speaking of the devil
 Look who just walked in
 He knows just where to find me
 Here we go again
 I can tell he’s gonna ask me to dance
 But that’s not as far as he wants to go
 I need ten thousand angels
 To help me tell him no

 Lead me not into temptation
 Heaven help me to be strong
 I can fight all that I’m feeling
 But I can’t do it alone
 Help me break this spell that I’m under
 Guide my feet and hold me tight
 I need ten thousand angels
 Watching over me tonight

 It’s time to face my weakness
 Look him in the eye
 Lord knows it won’t be easy
 But I’ve just gotta try
 I can’t let myself get lost in his arms
 That’s how I got my heart broke before
 I need ten thousand angels
 To walk me out the door