The Hard Scrabble Life of Mindy McCready
When Mindy McCready arrived on the scene in 1996 with the Top 10 hit, “Ten Thousand Angels,” it’s doubtful anybody seriously thought she was the future of country music. However, she was off to a particularly strong start, especially when her second single, “Guys Do It All the Time,” hit No. 1. She was 21, blonde and attractive. Like it or not, successful careers have been built on a lot less than that.
Things for McCready apparently started spinning out of control even before she changed record labels in 2000. Her history now includes a guilty plea to fraudulently obtaining OxyContin, two drug overdoses and suing her boyfriend (the father of her 15-month-old child) for $3 million for allegedly breaking into her Nashville home and beating her. McCready’s latest chapter involves being arrested early Saturday morning (July 21) in Florida on misdemeanor charges of domestic battery (for scratching her mother) and resisting arrest (for refusing to be handcuffed by deputies). Her mother called law enforcement authorities to report that her daughter was intoxicated and causing a disturbance. McCready claims a conversation turned into an argument during a game of Scrabble.
Almost from the outset of her first album, McCready made a series of bad personal and business decisions that, frankly, didn’t win her a lot of friends on Nashville’s Music Row. If any close allies remain, let’s hope they’re continuing to try to help her.
Some years ago, a publicist was expressing sadness after working with a singer whose personal life had overshadowed her music. I should emphasize that the publicist was not talking about McCready, but she commented, “I thought she wanted to be an artist, but now I think she mainly wants to be a celebrity.” Like most entertainers, McCready probably had a strong desire to be a celebrity but I don’t think she wanted that at the expense of her music career. Nonetheless that’s what happened and perceptions are a hard thing to change.
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Lisanne says:
Hard scrabble. That’s too funny!! LOL! But her hard life is no tougher than most of the people in this world, so why should she get so much press from it? Why can’t she stay outta trouble and just focus on her singing career. If i had that kind of voice I’d do that instead of fighting and suing people.
GreenBull says:
Mindy is extremely self-destructive, so I cannot agree with Lisanne’s point that “her hard life is no tougher than most of the people in this world.” Mindy has been addicted to drugs, has been linked to an extremely abusive husband, and she has been suicidal. These are not just your normal, every day run of the mill set of problems. I realize that many of these problems are self-imposed and that Mindy could have led a relatively “easy” life had she behaved differently and established a good music career. But the fact that she could have led an “easy” life does not make the life she lives any less “hard” than it is.
It is hard to sympathize with Mindy; she has thrown away so many second and third chances. But she is an extremely tortured indivdual and her life is anything but easy.
Linda from Kentucky says:
Mindy I wish you the best off luck and I hope you geet everything worked out and can sing again. I have Looked for Many years for your CD’s and I cant find them if you ever decide to look at your comment email me to let me know where I can get your cd’s. Thank You and Best Wishes
Wade Gray says:
hi
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good luck