An iconic country music singer has been hospitalized following a medical emergency. According to Nashville news station WKRN, Ronnie McDowell was performing in eastern Pennsylvania, when he became ill, requiring him to cut his show short, and be admitted to a local hospital.
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McDowell's tour manager reports that the 75-year-old was a few songs into his set at the Summer Solstice Music Festival, when he began "not making sense," slurring his words while on stage.
The tour manager approached McDowell and asked if he was okay, to which the singer replied that he was not, adding that he thought he might be having a stroke.
McDowell currently remains hospitalized. McDowell's son Tyler later shared an update on his Instagram Story.
"Thanks everyone, for the love," Tyler writes (via American Songwriter). "I'm heading to Pennsylvania now—I didn't go with them on this run. Seeing these headlines on social media is what I've always dreaded. It's like a nightmare. Scans are in the morning. If praying's your thing, I'd appreciate it."
The History of Ronnie McDowell And His Music
McDowell had plenty of hits in the '70s and '80s. The Tennessee native released radio-friendly songs like "Wandering Eyes," "Older Women," "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation" and more. But ironically, if not for the loss of Elvis Presley, McDowell might have never become a country music artist.
McDowell's first album, The King Is Gone, was released in November of 1977, only a few months after the death of Presley. A diehard Presley fan, McDowell penned the title track of his freshman album as a tribute to Presley. The song became McDowell's first Top 20 hit at radio.
"The King Is Gone" was a fitting, albeit ironic, tribute to Presley, since McDowell reveals Presley hated to be called the King of Rock and Roll.
"It's kind of like Clark Gable," McDowell tells Classic Bands. "Clark Gable was called The King Of Hollywood. ... All through Gable's life, until he passed away, he was known as The King Of Hollywood. He always said, 'You know, this King stuff is a bunch of bull, bologna. There's no light in me that makes me shine any brighter than anybody else.' I always respected Clark Gable for that. He could have played along with that, but he, like Elvis didn't like that title."
