(NewsNation) — Country singer Ronnie McDowell had a mini-stroke during his performance in Reading, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, according to his son.
Ronnie McDowell’s son, Ronnie McDowell, Jr., shared on Facebook, “Dad is in good spirits today. He experienced a mini-stroke the other day while performing in Pennsylvania. I sensed something was amiss as I had his vocals in my ear monitor and could hear him slurring words and forgetting lyrics to songs he’s performed for many years.”
His son continued, mentioning that after being taken off stage, his father expressed he believed he was having a stroke. At the hospital, doctors informed McDowell that he would require surgery “in the next few weeks,” as per his son’s account.
Nexstar’s WKRN reported that McDowell was on tour during the Summer Solstice Music Festival when he was rushed to the hospital. He reportedly started slurring his words and “not making sense” approximately three or four songs into his performance.
McDowell Jr. expressed his gratitude for the medical team and said his father is in good spirits. McDowell became famous in the late 1970s after writing “The King Is Gone,” a tribute to Elvis Presley after his death. He also had many Top 10 country hits in the 1980s, including “All Tied Up” and “Older Women.”
