Malinda Gayle (Mindy) McCready (born November 30, 1975, in
Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 48,208 in the 2000 census. According to 2008 estimates, the population is 68,689....
) is an American
country musicCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
singer. Active since 1996, she has recorded a total of four studio albums. Her debut album, 1996's
Ten Thousand AngelsTen Thousand Angels is the debut album of American country music singer Mindy McCready. It was released on BNA Records and sold two million copies, peaking at #5 on the US country charts, and producing four chart singles on the country charts. The first single, which was the title track, reached...
, was released on
BNA RecordsBNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company RCA Records, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
and was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA, while 1997's
If I Don't Stay the NightIf I Don't Stay the Night is the second album from American It was her second studio album, and released on BNA Records. This album peaked at #12 on the US country charts. The album included three singles, "What If I Do", "The Other Side of This Kiss", and "You'll Never Know"...
was certified gold. 1999's
I'm Not So ToughI'm Not So Tough is the title of American country music artist Mindy McCready's third studio album. It was released on BNA Records in 1999. This album peaked at #17 on the US country charts and sold 144,000 copies. The album included the single "All I Want Is Everything"...
, her final album for BNA, was commercially unsuccessful, and she was dropped from the label. A
self-titled fourth albumMindy McCready is the title of the fourth studio album from American country music singer Mindy McCready. It was released on Capitol Nashville in 2002 as her only album for the label. This album peaked at #29 on the US country charts...
followed in 2002 on
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Los Angeles and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group...
.
Overall, McCready's four studio albums have accounted for twelve singles on the
Billboard country singles charts. This figure includes the Number One hit "
Guys Do It All the Time"Guys Do It All The Time" is a song performed by Mindy McCready, an American country music performer.The song, written by Bobby Whiteside and Kim Tribble, was released in 15 June 1996, and reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on September 14 of that year...
", as well as the Top Ten hits "Ten Thousand Angels" and "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)." Although she has not charted a single since 2002, McCready has received significant media coverage regarding personal events in her life.
Career
Born Malinda Gayle McCready in
Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 48,208 in the 2000 census. According to 2008 estimates, the population is 68,689....
, McCready began singing in church at age 3, graduated from high school at the age of 16 with the intention of beginning her music career early.
When she was 18, she moved to
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is the second most populous city in the state after Memphis. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state...
, where she was signed by
BNA RecordsBNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company RCA Records, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
. Her debut album,
Ten Thousand AngelsTen Thousand Angels is the debut album of American country music singer Mindy McCready. It was released on BNA Records and sold two million copies, peaking at #5 on the US country charts, and producing four chart singles on the country charts. The first single, which was the title track, reached...
, was released in 1996 and sold two million copies. The album produced four chart singles on the country charts: the title track at #6, followed by her only Number One hit, "
Guys Do It All the Time"Guys Do It All The Time" is a song performed by Mindy McCready, an American country music performer.The song, written by Bobby Whiteside and Kim Tribble, was released in 15 June 1996, and reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on September 14 of that year...
." This song, in turn, was succeeded by "Maybe He'll Notice Her Now," a duet with
Richie McDonaldRichard Vance "Richie" McDonald is an American country music artist. From 1992 until his departure in 2007, he was the lead singer of the group Lonestar, which recorded seven studio albums on BNA Records during his tenure as lead vocalist. McDonald co-wrote several of the band's singles, and sang...
, then the lead vocalist of
LonestarLonestar is an American country music group consisting of Cody Collins , Michael Britt , Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams...
. The fourth and final single, "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)," peaked at #4.
The next year, McCready released the album
If I Don't Stay the NightIf I Don't Stay the Night is the second album from American It was her second studio album, and released on BNA Records. This album peaked at #12 on the US country charts. The album included three singles, "What If I Do", "The Other Side of This Kiss", and "You'll Never Know"...
. 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.
In 1999, McCready released
I'm Not So ToughI'm Not So Tough is the title of American country music artist Mindy McCready's third studio album. It was released on BNA Records in 1999. This album peaked at #17 on the US country charts and sold 144,000 copies. The album included the single "All I Want Is Everything"...
. 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 by
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Los Angeles and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group...
. She released a
self-titled albumMindy McCready is the title of the fourth studio album from American country music singer Mindy McCready. It was released on Capitol Nashville in 2002 as her only album for the label. This album peaked at #29 on the US country charts...
with Capitol in 2002 to disappointing sales, and was dropped by Capitol later that year.
In May 2008, McCready released a song, "I'm Still Here," via her official website. She also announced that she is working on a documentary, a new album and a reality show. She will be on Celebrity Rehab 3
Personal life
In 1997, McCready became engaged to actor
Dean CainDean Cain is an American actor, known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
. The couple broke up the following year.
McCready also dated former NHL hockey player
Drake BerehowskyDrake Berehowsky is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League...
.
In May 2005, McCready's ex-boyfriend, Billy McKnight, was arrested and charged with
attempted murderAttempted murder is a crime in some jurisdictions.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful homicide and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
after beating and choking McCready. The following July, McCready was found unconscious in a hotel lobby in
Indian Rocks Beach, FloridaIndian Rocks Beach is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,072 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,167.-Geography:...
after attempting
suicideSuicide is the intentional killing of one's self. Many dictionaries also note the metaphorical sense of "willful destruction of one's self-interest"...
. She was hospitalized for a drug overdose after washing down a large amount of undisclosed drugs with alcohol. That September, McCready, who was then pregnant with McKnight's child, attempted suicide for a second time by overdosing on
antidepressantAn antidepressant is a psychiatric medication used to alleviate mood disorders, such as major depression and dysthymia. Drugs including the monoamine oxidase inhibitors , tricyclic antidepressants , tetracyclic antidepressants , selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , and serotonin-norepinephrine...
s.
On March 25, 2006, McCready gave birth to a son, Zander Ryan McCready.
On December 17, 2008, paramedics were called to McCready's home in Nashville after an apparent suicide attempt; they transported her to a hospital after finding wounds on her wrists.
May 9, 2009: Mindy has been seen again in the company of Billy McNight and they have released a single together on Billy's Album.
In July, 2009, McCready left Vanderbilt Hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown. She then entered La Hacienda Treatment Center where she remained until mid-August.
Roger Clemens affair
In April 2008, the
New York Daily NewsThe Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 632,595, as of June 13, 2009. The first U.S. daily printed in tabloid form, it was founded in 1919, and as of 2007 is owned and run by Mortimer Zuckerman...
reported on a possible long-term relationship between McCready and baseball star
Roger ClemensWilliam Roger Clemens, aka "The Rocket" is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, two more than any other pitcher. He played for 13 consecutive seasons in Boston, more than half of his career. In , he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays...
that began when she was 15 years old.
Clemens' attorney
Rusty HardinRussell Hardin, Jr. is an American attorney and head of the law firm Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C. which he established in 1996.Hardin is a 1965 graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut...
denied the affair and also stated that Clemens would be bringing a defamation suit regarding this false allegation. Clemens' attorney admitted that a relationship existed, but described McCready as a "close family friend." He also stated that McCready had traveled on Clemens' personal jet and that Clemens' wife was aware of the relationship. Clemens issued a statement saying only that "I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry." However, McCready confirmed the relationship as being sexual in nature.
On November 17, 2008, McCready spoke in more detail to
Inside EditionInside Edition is a syndicated news program, on the air since January 9, 1989. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles Entertainment Tonight or The Insider. It was created by John Tomlin and Bob Young for King World Productions Inside...
about her affair with Clemens. She stated that their relationship lasted for more than a decade, and that it ended when Clemens refused to leave his wife to marry McCready. However, she denied that she was 15 years old when it began, saying that they met when she was 16 and the affair only became sexual "several years later".
Legal troubles
In August 2004, McCready was arrested in
TennesseeTennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...
for using a fake prescription to buy the painkiller
OxyContinOxycodone is an opioid analgesic medication synthesized from opium-derived thebaine. It was developed in 1916 in Germany, as one of several new semi-synthetic opioids in an attempt to improve on the existing opiates and opioids: morphine, diacetylmorphine , and codeine.Currently it is best known as...
. Although she initially denied the charge, she pleaded guilty and was fined $4,000, sentenced to three years
probationProbation is a sentence which may be imposed by a court in lieu of incarceration. A criminal who is "on probation" has been convicted of a crime but has served only part of the sentence in jail, or has not served time at all...
, and ordered to perform 200 hours of
community serviceCommunity service is an act by a person that benefits the local community. People become involved in community service for many reasons: for some, serving community is an altruistic act, for others it is a punishment....
.
In May 2005, she was stopped by Nashville police for speeding and then arrested and charged with
driving under the influenceDriving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, is the act of operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol or other drugs...
and driving with a suspended license. A jury later found her not guilty on the charges of DUI, but guilty of driving with a suspended license. That July, she was charged in
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
with
identity theftIdentity theft is a term used to refer to fraud that involves someone pretending to be someone else in order to steal money or get other benefits. The term is relatively new and is actually a misnomer, since it is not inherently possible to steal an identity, only to use it...
, unlawful use of transportation, unlawful imprisonment, and hindering prosecution.
An arrest
warrantMost often, the term warrant refers to a specific type of authorization; a writ issued by a competent officer, usually a judge or magistrate, which commands an otherwise illegal act that would violate individual rights and affords the person executing the writ protection from damages if the act is...
was issued for McCready the following month for violation of her probation when she left Tennessee without permission from her probation officer. McCready was also charged with not reporting to her probation officer during the month of July. She was finally arrested in Florida and returned to Tennessee. McCready 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 to
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
.
In July 2007, McCready was arrested in Ft. Myers, Florida. She was charged with battery and resisting arrest for an apparent scuffle with her mother. The following week, she was taken into custody at the Nashville International Airport for violating probation. 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.
In June 2008, McCready was arrested in Tennessee for violating the terms of her probation set in September 2007. Sentenced to 60 days in jail, McCready turned herself in on September 30, 2008. After serving half of her sentence, she was released early for good behavior on October 31, 2008.
Studio albums
| Year |
Album |
Peak chart positions |
Certifications
(sales thresholdMusic recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped a certain number of copies.Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond...
) |
| US Country |
US The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
US Heat Top Heatseekers is a weekly albums chart introduced by Billboard in 1993 whose purpose is to highlight sales by new and developing musical recording artists. Albums appearing on Top Heatseekers may also concurrently appear on the Billboard 200....
|
CAN Country |
CAN The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS Airplay...
|
| 1996 |
Ten Thousand Angels Ten Thousand Angels is the debut album of American country music singer Mindy McCready. It was released on BNA Records and sold two million copies, peaking at #5 on the US country charts, and producing four chart singles on the country charts. The first single, which was the title track, reached...
- Released: April 30, 1996
- Label: BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company RCA Records, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
|
5 |
40 |
1 |
1 |
93 |
US: 2× Multi-Platinum |
| 1997 |
If I Don't Stay the Night If I Don't Stay the Night is the second album from American It was her second studio album, and released on BNA Records. This album peaked at #12 on the US country charts. The album included three singles, "What If I Do", "The Other Side of This Kiss", and "You'll Never Know"...
Released: November 4, 1997
Label: BNA Records |
12 |
83 |
— |
12 |
— |
US: Gold |
| 1999 |
I'm Not So Tough I'm Not So Tough is the title of American country music artist Mindy McCready's third studio album. It was released on BNA Records in 1999. This album peaked at #17 on the US country charts and sold 144,000 copies. The album included the single "All I Want Is Everything"...
Released: September 14, 1999
Label: BNA Records |
17 |
155 |
— |
13 |
— |
|
| 2002 |
Mindy McCready Mindy McCready is the title of the fourth studio album from American country music singer Mindy McCready. It was released on Capitol Nashville in 2002 as her only album for the label. This album peaked at #29 on the US country charts...
Released: March 26, 2002
Label: Capitol Nashville |
29 |
— |
— |
* |
— |
|
"—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released
* denotes unknown peak positions |
Compilation and specialty albums
| Year |
Album |
Chart Positions
|
| US Country |
CAN Country |
| 1999 |
CMT Girls' Night Out[A]
- Released: October 12, 1999
- Label: BNA Records
|
30 |
8 |
| 2000 |
Super Hits
Released: January 11, 2000
Label: Sony BMG |
46 |
— |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or wasn't released |
^ CMT Girls' Night Out featured
Martina McBrideMartina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is best-known for her inspirational-style ballads about women and children....
,
Lorrie MorganLoretta Lynn Morgan , known professionally as Lorrie Morgan, is an American country music singer. She is the daughter of George Morgan, a country music singer who charted several hit singles between 1949 and his death in 1975. Lorrie Morgan charted her first single in 1978, although she did not...
, and
Sara EvansSara Lynn Evans is an American country singer-songwriter.Sara Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging from the late-90s, Evans has become one of Country music's most popular female vocalists, acquiring...
.