Mindy McCready

A once-promising country singer who notched an impressive debut, Mindy McCready was only 21 when 1996's Ten Thousand Angels became a double platinum smash, launching her No 1 hit "Guys Do It All the Time." Nominated for a slew of prestigious awards, she seemed poised to achieve country music superstardom. Unfortunately, her follow-up albums underperformed, and all her music success was undone by a painful-to-watch string of legal woes, addictions and self-destructive behaviors. At one time engaged to actor Dean Cain, McCready went from country sweetheart to tabloid nightmare, undergoing multiple arrests, prison sentences and suicide attempts. Bad press dogged McCready, including a leaked sex tape, custody battles with her mother, and a longtime affair with the married baseball star Roger Clemens. After seeking treatment on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" (VH1, 2008-12) McCready found herself embroiled in even more scandal and still in thrall to her addictions. Her promising talent and career ruined by a rash of bad headlines, Mindy McCready's frightening downward spiral prompted many to hope not just for the singer's comeback, but for her well-being. Sadly, it was not to be. McCready committed suicide by a single self-inflicted gunshot wound on Feb. 17,1913 at age 37.