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Country star Mindy McCready dies at 37

The Cleburne County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that McCready was found dead at a residence in Heber Springs from what appears to be a single, self-inflicted gunshot to the head. An autopsy is pending.

It wasn't the first suicide attempt for the troubled singer, whose list of problems only continued to grow in 2013.

McCready entered court-ordered rehab earlier this month after her father told a judge she was no longer taking care of herself or her children and was abusing drugs and alcohol. Her sons were put in foster care at the time, but it's not clear where Zander and Zayne were at the time of McCready's suicide.

McCready's longtime boyfriend David Wilson, the father of her younger son, died last month in Arkansas. Authorities found his body on the same porch they discovered McCready's on Sunday and his death also was investigated as a suicide.

Wilson's passing struck McCready hard. She issued a statement last month lamenting his death. She called him her soulmate and a caregiver to her sons in an interview with NBC's "Today." She said she'd never gone through anything as painful as his passing.

"I just keep telling myself that the more suffering that I go through, the greater character I'll have," she said, according to a transcript of the interview.

News of McCready's death spread quickly Sunday night on Twitter with major country stars paying their respects to Nashville's onetime darling.

I grew up listening to Mindy McCready...so sad for her family tonight. Many prayers are going out to them...mdash; Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) February 18, 2013

My heart is breaking hearing of the loss of Mindy McCready. Pray for her 2 precious little boys...may God's peace protection be on them!mdash; Hillary Scott (@HillaryScottLA) February 18, 2013

My heart goes out to Mindy McCready's family.I knew her well.It's a horribly tragedy.May peace be with her son's.mdash; LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (@leannrimes) February 18, 2013

Just heard about Mindy McCready. My thoughts and prayers are with her 2 boys and her family.mdash; Jason_Aldean (@Jason_Aldean) February 18, 2013

Very sad to hear about Mindy McCready. When I was in Lonestar she was our label mate and we were friends. A tragic end to a talented life.mdash; John Rich (@johnrich) February 18, 2013

Melinda Gayle McCready arrived in Nashville in 1994 still in her teens 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.

She would spend the next 15 years chasing another hit as personal problems began plaguing her in 2004. Her problems would include a custody battle with her mother over one of her sons, an overdose and discord in her love life.

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 Wilson had a son, Zayne, in April of 2012. The older son is by former husband Billy McKnight.

In May 2010, she was hospitalized briefly after police responded to an overdose call at a home in North Fort Myers, Fla., owned by her mother. This followed a stint on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," where she delcared herself clean from drugs. She is the fifth celebrity appearing on that show to have died.

In 2004, she was charged with obtaining the painkiller OxyContin fraudulently at a pharmacy. She pleaded guilty and was placed on three years' probation.

She violated the probation with a drunken driving arrest in May 2005. A few days after that arrest, she was beaten and her boyfriend at the time was charged with attempted criminal homicide. Then she attempted suicide in July 2005, overdosed in September 2005 and slit her wrists again in December 2008.

Also that year, McCready was charged in Arizona with hindering prosecution and unlawful use of transportation. Those charges stemmed from an alleged attempt in June 2005 to purchase two high performance boats, but she claimed she was trying to stop a con man.

In July 2007, she was arrested in her hometown of Fort Myers, Fla., on misdemeanor charges of scratching her mother on the face during a scuffle and resisting sheriff's deputies.

She made headlines again in April 2008 when she acknowledged a longtime relationship with baseball great Roger Clemens. Published reports at the time said she met the pitcher at a Florida karaoke bar when she was 15 and he was 28 and married.

In June 2008, McCready was arrested and charged with violating her probation, specifically falsifying her community service records relating to the 2004 drug charge. A month later, she entered an extended care facility for undisclosed treatment, and followed that with a 60-day jail sentence in the Williamson County jail.

Growing up in Fort Myers, she took seven years of private vocal lessons and later sang in karaoke bars.

After getting her recording contract, she did concert appearances with top country stars including George Strait, Tim McGraw and Alan Jackson.

Her other singles included "Maybe He'll Notice Her Now," ''A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)" and "You'll Never Know."

In 1998, she was engaged to actor Dean Cain, but they never married.

In this Jan. 26, 1997 file photo, country music singers Mindy McCready, left, LeAnn Rimes and Terri Clark joke around after a rehearsal for the American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. McCready, who hit the top of the country charts before personal problems sidetracked her career, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013. She was 37. Associated Press
In this May 12, 2005 file photo, country singer Mindy McCready reacts as she testifies in Davidson County General Sessions court as part of a preliminary hearing for William McKnight, 38, her former boyfriend, who is charged with attempted criminal homicide and aggravated burglary in Nashville, Tenn. McCready died Sunday at 37. Associated Press
In this June 5, 2008 file photo, country music artist Mindy McCready performs at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn. McCready, who hit the top of the country charts before personal problems sidetracked her career, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013. She was 37. Associated Press
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