| Elmo Shropshire | |
|---|---|
Shropshire performing in New York in 2009. |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Dr. Elmo |
| Born | October 26, 1936 Lexington, Kentucky |
| Genres | Comedy, bluegrass |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Associated acts | Elmo & Patsy, The Halloween Ghouls |
| Website | drelmo.com |
Elmo Shropshire, D.V.M. (born October 26, 1936), better known by his stage name Dr. Elmo, is a singer of comedy songs, most notably "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." He originally recorded the song in 1979 with his then-wife Patsy. He re-recorded it solo in 1992 for the album Dr. Elmo's Twisted Christmas and again in 2000 for the album Up Your Chimney. He also recorded two albums of year-round songs: Dr. Elmo's Twisted Tunes (1993) and Love, Death and Taxes (2000).
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Elmo is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, and has a degree in veterinary medicine from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. After moving to San Francisco, he opened an animal hospital and became a competitive runner, all while continuing to play with his bluegrass band.
In 1979, Shropshire recorded "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (written by his friend Randy Brooks) and became an instant regional superstar.
Elmo originally invested $40,000 of his own money to produce the original album and music video for "Grandma..." and in return, he's become "a millionaire five times over".[1] Since then, Elmo has become part of a class action suit against Sony based upon the royalties paid from digital downloads and ringtone sales.[2]
In the Christmas special Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Dr. Elmo served as co-writer, the voice of Grandpa and the adult Jake narrating.
Shropshire lives in Novato, California.[3] He and Patsy divorced in 1985.[4]