Shotgun Red
Shotgun Red is a puppet best known as a co-host for the television talk show Nashville Now,[1] which aired from 1983-1993 on The Nashville Network. Often appearing alongside the show's host Ralph Emery, Shotgun Red was voiced by Steve Hall, a native of Brainerd, Minnesota.
The puppet, best recognized for his large gray mustache and straw cowboy hat, was discovered by Hall in a Minnesota hobby shop in 1980.[2] Hall first used Shotgun Red as the emcee for his band at the time, Southbound '76. After traveling to Nashville to compete in the final round of The Seagram's 7 battle of the bands contest, Hall and Shotgun "crashed" Ralph Emery's local morning TV show. Ralph fell in love with the little puppet and later made him his co-host on Nashville Now.
Shotgun Red went on to appear on the television variety show Hee Haw regularly for ten years and host The Nashville Network's music video show Country Clips for six years.
The puppet remains a part of Steve Hall's Shotgun Red Band, which operates out of the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater and tours periodically.[3]
The Shotgun Red Variety Show airs on RFD-TV weekday afternoons.