Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Mindy McCready Gets a Year In Jail


OK, who has done more time, Johnny Cash or Mindy McCready?
Mindy, and she's been sentenced to more.

Jail's just part of the tragedies, mistakes and miseries of this "old school" country singer, who was hospitalized after being found unconscious at a Holiday Inn, wrote a four-page suicide note, had a boyfriend charged with attempted murder, aggravated burglary, and beating Mindy, and was in such bad shape she couldn't perform in concert for 18 months. How about the time she spouted off against RCA/Nashville head Joe Galante, left the label, shifted to Capitol only to leave that label too?

"To be a girl, and to be loving like I am, and sweet like I am, it's hard not to get taken advantage of..." she once explained.

Mindy, at 21, became a country darling thanks to the slightly raunchy, girls-just-wanna-do-one-nighters 1996 hit "Guys Do It All The Time." Through the tumultuous decade, some believed her greatest strength was her enduring relationship with her mother, but...

The 31 year-old ex-star was recently accused of scratching her mom, and resisting arrest. Still on probation for two previous brushes with the law (an illegal buy on OxyContin in 2004 and a drunken driving incident in 2005 in which she was ultimately found guilty of driving with a suspended license), there was no way she could avoid doing time. "I could only say I'm sorry," she told the judge a few days ago. "Please give me a chance to make things as right as they can possibly be."
The judge credited her with the 75 days already served, and let her know that after she gets out, she'll be on two years probation. And if you think it's rough on her, think of Mindy's son, who isn't even 2 years old. It's been a long road downward from 1996 when she sold 2 million copies of her album "Ten Thousand Angels."

Ill winds blew Mindy off the charts...into the arms and fists of an abusive boyfriend, careening around roads, haunting drugstores with fake prescriptions, and writing suicide notes...Hopefully while she's away some royalties will trickle in on the old songs that still get radio play, and she can rebuild her life.

"Good As I Was To You" is a traditional bawlin' and boilin' ballad as Mindy gives a Parton-shot to an ex-lover sitting in a diner with his new flame: "Does this mean that you've won? Are you finally having fun? Is she your dream come true? She won't never be good as I was to you!" Oh, nope, nope, nope. Double-tracked pain, scolding violins and a few drippy piano teardrops tell of a country gal's heartache and inner strength.

If you've somehow missed Mindy, while saucing your cauliflowered ears on Dolly Parton or Sara Evans, give her a listen, and hey, maybe buy a CD. The gal could use some bucks when she leaves the ol' Graybar Hotel.

GOOD AS I WAS TO YOU Instant Download or Listen On Line. No porn ads, pop ups or code words

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