Update: Ronnie McDowell Suffered ‘Mini Stroke’ Onstage, Will Need Surgery

Ronnie McDowell's son, Ronnie McDowell Jr., is sharing more details about the on-stage medical event that sent his country star father to the hospital over the weekend.

"He did suffer a mini stroke the other day on stage here in Pennsylvania," McDowell Jr. said in a Facebook update. "I knew something wasn't right as I had his vocals in my ear monitor and I could hear him slurring his words and forgetting the words to his songs that he has sang for many years."

McDowell Jr., who is his dad's tour manager, called the singer side stage and asked him if he was okay. He replied that he wasn't, "and that's not how my strong Dad talks," McDowell Jr. went on to say.

WKRN previously reported that McDowell was about "three or four songs" into his set at Oley, Pa.'s Summer Solstice Festival when the event occurred. At the time, McDowell Jr. confirmed that the singer was heading to a hospital in Reading, Pa., for evaluation. He also said that McDowell told him he thought he might be having a stroke.

Now, McDowell Jr. says that his father is on the mend, though he will need further medical attention to address his health issues.

"The Doctors told him that he will need surgery in the next few weeks," his update continued. "They do want him to take it easy but they said that he can perform and work out in the next few days. He was so happy about that."

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McDowell Jr. also expressed gratitude for his father's "incredibly nice and helpful" medical team, and said that McDowell is in good spirits as he heads home from the hospital.

"When we got out, he wanted to go to his favorite Italian restaurant," he continued. "We are heading home now...Thank you Jesus for saving my Dad. You are Amazing..."

McDowell first rose to prominence in the late 1970s with a tribute song called "The King Is Gone" that he wrote after the death of Elvis Presley. The song became a hit on both country and pop charts.

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In the '80s, he had a string of Top 10 country hits, including "Older Women," "You're Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation" and "All Tied Up." Most recently, McDowell appeared on one of the songs on Dolly Parton's Rockstar album: A collaboration called "I Dreamed About Elvis," also featuring vocals from Presley's famed backing vocal group the Jordanaires.