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BIO
Ronnie
McDowell has an amazing string
of hit songs that he has amassed
over the years, but it is
his riveting stage presence
and genuine warmth that fills
the seats again and again.
Like all great entertainers,
Ronnie McDowell has a personality
that remains luminous long
after the lights go dim. These
qualities have inspired a
nationwide network of fan-clubs
with more than 3,000 members,
each one a devoted promoter
of everything McDowell does.
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Ronnie
McDowell
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Following the death of Elvis Presley
in 1977, Ronnie McDowell came out
of nowhere to dazzle the world with
his heartfelt and self-penned tribute
song "The King Is Gone"
on the independent Scorpion label.
The record took off immediately,
gaining airplay on country and pop
stations across the country and
around the world. To date, "The
King Is Gone" has sold more
than 5 Million copies.
All of a sudden, the young man from
Portland, Tennessee was a star,
and he quickly proved that he wasn't
just a one-trick pony. McDowell
scored a second hit for the Scorpion
label titled "I Love You, I
Love You, I Love You" before
being wooed and signed by CBS Records
- Epic label in 1979.
Ronnie McDowell charted a string
of hit singles and albums for Epic
between 1979 and 1986. Every single
release with the exception of just
one became a Top 10 Hit including
the chart toppers "Older Women"
and "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad
Reputation." Other hits during
his Epic years included "Watchin
Girls Go By," "Personally,"
"You Made A Wanted Man Of Me,"
"All Tied Up," and "In
A New York Minute."
McDowell toured constantly to support
each album release and consequently
built an astounding fan base throughout
the country. He sought the advice
of artists such as Conway Twitty
who became, in essence, not only
his mentor but his friend as well.
Twitty helped the young singer with
advise about touring, recording
and most of all entertaining the
fans. Twitty was certainly the master
and Ronnie McDowell quickly became
his prize pupil.
Moving to Curb Records in 1986,
his current label to date, McDowell
scored a Top 10 hit with "It's
Only Make Believe," a duet
with Conway Twitty on what was Twitty's
breakthrough hit from 1958. Two
years later Ronnie teamed up with
Jerry Lee Lewis for a rocking duet
that McDowell wrote titled,"You're
Never Too Old To Rock N' Roll."
He also recorded yet another Top
10 hit with his version of the pop
standard "Unchained Melody,"
which also became a #1 country music
video. His entertaining abilities
soared and he began to draw larger
crowds. He started appearing in
larger venues and touring with artists
such as Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette
and Loretta Lynn before headlining
his own shows.
Two of McDowell's most recent projects
on Curb Records include an album
of beach music with Rock & Roll
Hall of Famer Bill Pinkney's Original
Drifters, entitled, "Ronnie
McDowell with Bill Pinkney's Original
Drifters". The second project
is a new country album titled "Ronnie
McDowell Country", a collection
of six new McDowell penned songs,
and a few country standards by such
Legendary writers as Buck Owens,
Harlan Howard and Dallas Frazier.
Ronnie McDowell is still constantly
in demand on the road and he tours
relentlessly with his band the Rhythm
Kings. Additionally, he often tours
with Elvis Presley's original sidemen
Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana along
with Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires
staging a tribute to Elvis Presley's
music. Ronnie McDowell sang 36 songs
on the soundtrack "Elvis,"
the Dick Clark-produced television
movie that featured Kurt Russell
as the performer. He also was the
singing voice for the television
movie "Elvis And Me",
the ABC television series about
the early years of Elvis' career
titled simply "Elvis"
as well as, the 1997 Showtime special
"Elvis Meets Nixon."
While Elvis Presley has played a
big part in Ronnie McDowell's musical
career over the years, Ronnie continues
to entertain audiences with his
own blend of romantic intimacy and
country excitement! He looks great,
he sounds great, and judging from
the longtime adoration of his fans,
he seems to grow better with each
passing year!
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