Ronnie McDowell Spreads Holiday Cheer To Children In His Hometown Of Portland, Tenn.

2017 will mark 40 years of country music legend Ronnie McDowell making music that impacts the lives of others. For 38 of those, he has also been changing the lives of children in need from his hometown of Portland, Tenn. with a special Christmas shopping trip they will remember for years to come.

This week McDowell teamed up with elementary schools and countless community volunteers to transport 30 children on five tour buses to a local Walmart for a $100 shopping spree just days before Christmas. This year the buses were lent to the worthy cause by fellow country stars Garth Brooks, Josh Turner and more.

McDowell decided to make spirits even brighter by dressing up like Santa Claus as the kids shopped for clothes, dolls, bicycles and everything else on their wish list. Following the shopping trip, the group headed to a local fast food restaurant for dinner and treats.

"This event makes my Christmas every year. I cannot fathom, as one of 10 children to a mother that worked three jobs, what something like this would have meant to me as a kid growing up in Portland, Tennessee. That's why I do it," said McDowell.

Known for more than thirty Top 40 hits, including chart-toppers "The King Is Gone," "Older Women" and "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation," the warm-hearted country hitmaker recently released his first ever autobiography about his illustrious music career "Bringing It To You Personally." Be sure to keep up with Ronnie McDowell on Facebook, Twitter and RonnieMcDowell.com as he hits the road in 2017 for his 40th anniversary tour.

About Ronnie McDowell:
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 five million copies. McDowell charted more than thirty Top 40 hits on the Billboard country music charts. Two of his singles, "Older Women" and "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation," reached No. 1 on the country charts, while eleven more reached Top Ten. He has also released more than twenty studio albums. McDowell also achieved notoriety when he 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.

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