Moon Remembers Mindy
It is such a sad waste when a human being takes his or her own life. Sometimes -- as in the case of Mindy McCready -- the stresses of living can become so overwhelming they think suicide is the only answer. I didn't know Mindy well, but I spent enough time with her to know I liked her. She was personable, funny, a great talent and a flirt.
The photo shown is from 2000 when Mindy visited KFDI radio in Wichita, Kansas, where I was director of country programming for Journal Broadcast Group. Mindy was touring the USA visiting country radio stations as she made a comeback. Wow, a comeback at 26!
Several of the songs on her Capitol album were written or co-written by Mindy. I thought they showed some depth and maturity and told her so. She really seemed pleased with that comment, her face just lit up in a giant smile.
Later, we went to dinner, just Mindy, her guitar player Jimmy Ritchie (who today is a very successful record producer) and me. . While waiting for our our table and sipping adult beverages (me?!!) Mindy called her father on her cell phone. I listened in as she told her dad she was with this radio guy that reminded her of "Grandpa Ray". Well, of course, at first I think ("What I remind her of her grandfather") but then she followed that up with, "Older guy, kinda hot" and looked right at me. The little flirt.
I certainly wished the best for her after that. It was not to be. The record fizzled. Mindy continued to be a problem for her label executives. They dropped her. And, of course, the men, the booze, the pills and everything else. She had two kids, too. 6 year Zander and nine month old Zayne. They were out of her custody Sunday.
She must have felt so alone.
Goodbye Mindy. Now she is one of the 10,000 angels.