Si Robertson

Silas Robertson
Silas Robertson in 2013
Born	Silas Merritt Robertson (1948-04-27) April 27, 1948 West Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
Residence	West Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
Occupation	Hunter Television personality Reed maker U.S. Army veteran
Years active	2002–present
Television	Duck Dynasty Going Si-Ral
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Christine Raney (1971-present)
Children	Trasa Lee Robertson-Cobern Scott Merritt Robertson
Parent(s)	Merritt B. Thurman-Hale James Harold Robertson
Relatives	Phil Alexander Robertson (brother) James Francis Robertson (brother) Harold Gene Robertson (brother) Thomas Silas Robertson (brother) Judith Ann Robertson (sister) Janice Ellen Robertson Dasher (sister) Zach Dasher (nephew)
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1968-1993
Rank	Sergeant First Class
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Silas Merritt Robertson (born April 27, 1948), known as Si Robertson and often referred to as "Uncle Si", is an American television personality, preacher, hunter, outdoorsman, retired U.S. Army soldier, and duck-call maker at Duck Commander. He is best known for his role on A&E's Duck Dynasty, on which he has emerged as the breakout character.^[1] He has also appeared on other shows such as the Outdoor Channel's Buck Commander and The Duckmen of Louisiana, and was the eponymous host of the Duck Dynasty spin-off Going Si-Ral

Early life

Robertson was born to James and Merritt (née Hale) Robertson in West Monroe, Louisiana, the sixth of seven children. He has four brothers, Jimmy Frank, Harold, Tommy, and Phil, and two sisters, Judy and Jan. Because of financial setbacks of their family during Si and his siblings' childhoods, the Robertson family lived in rugged conditions with significantly fewer amenities than the average American enjoyed. In high school, Si attended North Caddo High School in Vivian, Caddo Parish, Louisiana. He played on the football team in the footsteps of his brother Phil, even wearing the same #10 jersey.^[2]

Military career

After dropping out of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston after three quarters, he was drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War.^[3] During the war, his mother sent him a set of Tupperware cups, two boots, and two jars of jalapeño peppers in each boot, and beans and rice, because he loves jalapeño peppers.^[4][5] He is rarely seen without one of his plastic cups drinking iced tea, which he treats with equal importance.^[4]

Si retired from the Army in 1993 with the rank of Sergeant First Class (E-7).^[6] Robertson is recognized for his military career with an exhibit at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe, Louisiana.^[7]

Business with Duck Commander

Upon retirement from the Army in 1993, Si found employment at his brother Phil's Duck Commander business.^[6] Si has been a big part of the growing business. His job is to fashion the reeds that are inserted in every patented duck call. Si thinks that it is a pretty easy job and is depicted in Duck Dynasty as having difficulties staying on task; he often seeks breaks to take a nap or play around with equipment in the warehouse.^[3]

Personal life

In an interview with Good Morning America, Robertson talked about his wife. He said, "One woman has already got my heart, we've been married for 43 years and her name is Miss Christine Robertson". He has talked about how after he had asked for her hand in marriage about 70 times, she finally said yes.^[8] The two married in 1971, and they had a daughter, Trasa, and a son, Scott. They also have eight grandsons.

Like the rest of his family, Robertson is very open about his Christian faith. "That's what got me through 65 years of life, my belief in God and what He's done for us and what He will do for us". His favorite Scripture verses are John 3:16 and 17. "When I sign people's stuff I put down John 3:16 and 17. Most people can tell you what 16 says, OK. 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.' But they don't know nothin' about 17. It says Jesus didn't come to condemn us. If anybody had a right to condemn someone, it would be the son of God. If he didn't do it, then hey, we definitely are not qualified to do it."^[9]

Robertson lent his voice and personal appearance to the VeggieTales video Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas, in which he narrates the video and appears as a mall janitor, in the tradition of the mid 1960s and early 1970s Rankin/Bass Christmas specials and their use of celebrity narrators.^[10][11]

Along with his nephew and Duck Dynasty co-star Willie Robertson, he appeared on an episode of Last Man Standing.^[12]

Robertson's son served in the U.S. Army and completed eight tours in Iraq. His son was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, motivating Robertson to advocate for better care for veterans.^[13]

Duck Dynasty

In A&E's reality television show Duck Dynasty, Si (or Uncle Si) is one of the main characters. He is perhaps the most well-known and recognized character of the bunch, due to the frequency and quality of his jokes and stories, as well as his general manner. His spontaneous nature often launches the plot of the show into action, whether handcuffing himself to his nephew Willie or spending the prize money of $2,000 at a children's arcade.^[14]

Si also appears in Going Si-Ral, a spinoff which debuted November 16, 2016 on A&E. Si and "Si-kick" Willie study the Internet, especially viral videos.^[15]

Discography

Bibliography

• Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty's Favorite Uncle. (2013) Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781476745398

References

External links

• Go Behind the Scenes of 'Duck Dynasty' With Uncle Si