From Dolly to Elvis with Ronnie McDowell

Season 1, Episode 11

My dad loves music.

Sure, we all have a favorite singer or band. We all have that one song that brings back a great memory. But for my dad, music is something more. It inspires him. It moves him. It’s the background to everything he does and often, it’s right there on the front stage of his life. Literally.

Eventually, he took his love for music and turned it into a business. Not as a musician, but as a promoter. (More on that later…) Because of his passion, I grew up in a house surrounded by incredible musicians. I spent countless hours as a kid in music venues and backstage areas—usually as the only child in sight.

There are so many memories from those days. Like the time Dobie Gray, famous for "Drift Away", sat at the table eating grits with me on a Saturday morning, when no one else could convince me to eat them.

Or falling asleep with Johnny Rivers’ cherry red Gibson electric guitar lying on the floor next to my bed, after being firmly told by the man himself:
“DO NOT PLAY MY GUITAR.”

But there’s one person who stands out more than most, Ronnie McDowell.

Ronnie has been an entertainer and country music artist for nearly 50 years, with hits like:

• Older Women

• You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation

• The King Is Gone

• In a New York Minute

…and many more.

He’s sold over 10 million records, appeared in countless films, and built a remarkable legacy. But to us, Ronnie has been much more than a country music icon—he’s been a family friend for over 45 years. 

It all started in 1981, at Critters Creek Waterpark in Monroe, Louisiana. My dad produced a show that featured Ronnie, and that kicked off an incredible relationship, one that gave me a front-row seat to some of country music’s greatest stories.

Stories that were told, and lived, by Ronnie himself.

🎙️ This week on the Heirloom Podcast, we sit down with the legendary Ronnie McDowell.

He shares some of those unforgettable moments, talks about his decades-long career, and opens up about building a legacy in an industry where most fade after one hit.

Don't miss it.

-Jim Rasberry