{{Short description|American singer (born 1936)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Elmo Shropshire | image = Fb wiki New York 2009 FOX GDNY 042.jpg | alt = | caption = Shropshire performing in New York in 2009 | image_size = | landscape = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | alias = Dr. Elmo | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1936|10|26}} | birth_place = [[Richmond, Virginia]], U.S. | origin = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Patsy Trigg||1985|end=div}} * Pam Wendell }} | genre = [[Christmas music]], [[Bluegrass music|bluegrass]] | occupation = Musician, veterinarian | instrument = Vocals, 5-string banjo, guitar | years_active = 1970–present | label = Epic, SonyBMG, Sony, Time Life | associated_acts = Elmo & Patsy, Randy Brooks | website = {{URL|https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Elmo.Shropshire}} }} '''Elmo Earl Shropshire'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/331335256 |title=CHRISTMAS IN THE USA |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=April 26, 2023}}</ref> (born October 26, 1936) is an American veterinarian, competitive runner, and [[country music]] singer. Shropshire, who typically performs under the name "'''Dr. Elmo'''", is best known for his [[Christmas music|Christmas]] [[novelty song]] "[[Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer]]". He originally recorded the song in 1979 with his then-wife Patsy, then re-recorded it solo for the 1992 album ''Dr. Elmo's Twisted Christmas'' and again in 2000 for the album ''Up Your Chimney''. He also has recorded other songs, released on albums including ''Dr. Elmo's Twisted Tunes'' (1993) and ''Love, Death & Taxes'' (2000).
==Personal life== Elmo Shropshire is a native of [[Lexington, Kentucky]] and has a Bachelors of Science in agriculture from the [[University of Florida]] where he was a member of the [[Alpha Gamma Rho]] fraternity. He then earned a [[Doctor of Veterinary Medicine]] from [[Auburn University]] in Alabama.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ocala.com/story/news/local/2013/12/18/twisted-christmas-song-still-pays-the-rent-for-onetime-ocala-veterinarian/31930882007/ | title='Twisted' Christmas song still pays the rent for onetime Ocala veterinarian }}</ref> He was racetrack veterinarian at [[Aqueduct Racetrack|Aqueduct]] and [[Belmont Park Racetrack|Belmont Park]] in New York before moving to San Francisco to open his own hospital, Arguello Pet Hospital. In San Francisco, Shropshire began playing banjo in a bluegrass band, and later became a competitive runner.
==Success with "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"== In 1979, Shropshire recorded "[[Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer]]" (written by his friend Randy Brooks). At the time, he was part of a [[double act]] with his then-wife Patsy Trigg; though he effectively recorded the song as a solo record without Trigg's help, they released the record credited as a duet, which he stated was "another story."<ref name="nottohearthatsong">{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121302192.html |title=All I Want for Christmas Is Not To Hear That Song |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=December 14, 2007 |access-date=December 24, 2017 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> With the record's release, Elmo & Patsy became regional superstars. They divorced in 1985;<ref>{{cite web|title=AT LONG LAST SINGLES|url=http://www.stubbyschristmas.com/1/post/2012/09/at-long-last-singles.html|work=Stubby's House of Christmas|accessdate=5 May 2014}}</ref> Shropshire then married Pam Wendell, a saleswoman who had helped promote the record to retailers.<ref name="nottohearthatsong"/> Since then, Shropshire settled a class action suit against Sony based upon the royalties paid from downloads and ringtone sales.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lisa |last=Napoli |authorlink= |title=Ringtone royalties |url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/10/30/AM200610302.html |format=Audio with transcript |work= |publisher=[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]] |pages= |page= |date=30 October 2006 |accessdate= }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 2000, he served as co-writer of an [[Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (film)|animated Christmas special based on the song]]. For this television special, he also provided the voices of Grandpa and the narrator. In 2007, Shropshire was sued by the Fred Rappaport Company, the producer of the show, over the right to use the song in show-related merchandise.<ref name=fred>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2007-11-27-grandma-reindeer_N.htm | work=USA Today | title='Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer' singer is sued | date= 27 November 2007 | accessdate=1 May 2010}}</ref>
In 2009, Shropshire appeared on "Good Morning America", and in 2010 he appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
On December 23, 2014, Shropshire performed "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" on [[The Meredith Vieira Show]] as part of a segment titled "Real or Fake".
On December 24, 2016, Shropshire performed on Fox News Channel's "FOX and Friends."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/5260559535001/|title=Elmo Shropshire sings 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer'|website=Fox News|date=4 February 2017 }}</ref>
On December 26, 2019, Shropshire was featured in the Wall Street Journal article "What's Your Workout" by Jen Murphy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Jen |title=The Guy Who Sang 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' Can Really Hoof It |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-guy-who-sang-grandma-got-run-over-by-a-reindeer-can-really-hoof-it-11577196842 |access-date=2023-03-10 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=December 24, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Later years== [[File:Dr. Elmo, Malaga, Spain 2018.jpg|thumb|alt=Dr. Elmo 5k Track Race Malaga Spain 2018|World Masters Championships 2018]] Today, Shropshire lives in [[Novato, California]] with his wife, Pam Wendell.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mason|first=Clark|title=Novelty reindeer song still has legs, 30 years later|url=http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121204/articles/121209833|accessdate=5 May 2014|newspaper=Santa Rosa Press Democrat|date=24 December 2012}}</ref> Wendell was a saleswoman and distributor for the "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" records before the song was picked up by a major label.<ref name=holidaygag>{{Cite magazine |last=Knopper |first=Steve |date=2022-12-20 |title='Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer': How a Holiday Gag Became a Christmas Standard |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/grandma-got-run-over-christmas-song-history-taylor-swift-link/ |access-date=2023-10-28 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> Since 1992, he has recorded several solo albums under the name Dr. Elmo. He has been a competitive runner for 25 years.
On October 13, 2012, he won his age division in the United States National 5K Cross Country Championship in San Diego, California.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2012/USA-Masters-5-km-Cross-Country-Championships/Results/Men-Age-Div.aspx | title=USA Track & Field - Men's Age Division Results | access-date=December 22, 2019 | archive-date=December 22, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222070354/http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2012/USA-Masters-5-km-Cross-Country-Championships/Results/Men-Age-Div.aspx | url-status=dead }}</ref> On October 27, 2013, he won a gold medal in the World Master's Games as part of the USA 4×400 relay team in Porto Allegre, Brazil.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wma2013.com/results/results_men.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2013-10-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102131700/https://wma2013.com/results/results_men.htm |archive-date=2013-11-02 }}</ref> In October 2019, Shropshire won the US National 5K Cross Country Championship in his age division.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sandiego.usatf.org/USATF_ASSOC_44/files/7b/7bf3780a-3933-4bf0-b596-106cbe1e9a6e.pdf|title=Sandiego USATF}}{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
2022 RACING: Ranked #1 in the World in the Mile & 5K in his age division. Elmo is the USATF National Outdoor Champion (Lexington, KY) in the 400, 800, and 1500M and ranked #1 in the US in those distances.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mastersrankings.com/|title=MastersRankings.com – Get off the couch, get in the game|accessdate=28 March 2023}}</ref> He is the USATF 8K cross country champion.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://results.usatf.org/2022XC | title=Results }}</ref> (San Diego, Ca) Shropshire is the 2022 National Senior Games Champion in the 800, 1500, and 5K. (Ft. Lauderdale, Fl) <ref>{{Cite web |title=National Senior Games Association |url=https://nsga-results.fusesport.com/drawindividual.asp?id=578122&seasonid=741 |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=nsga-results.fusesport.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://nsga-results.fusesport.com/competitions.asp?compID=578833&id=741 | title=National Senior Games Association }}</ref>
==Discography== ===Elmo & Patsy=== ====Albums==== *''Playin' Possum'' (as The Homestead Act) (1974) *''Elmo & Patsy'' (1974) *''Will You Be Ready?'' (1980) *''Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer'' (1983)
====Singles==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="2"| Peak positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| [[Hot Country Songs|US Country]]<br /><ref>{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944–2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2|author-link=Joel Whitburn}}</ref> ! width="45"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br /><ref>{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2010|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2011|isbn=978-0-89820-188-8|author-link=Joel Whitburn}}</ref> |- | 1979 ! scope="row"| "[[Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer]]" | — | — | {{n/a}} |- | 1983 ! scope="row" rowspan="4"| "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" {{small|(re-recording)}} | 92 | — | align="left" rowspan="4"| ''Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer'' |- | 1992 | — | 112 |- | 1997 | 64 | 87 |- | 1999 | 48 | — |- | colspan="5" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |}
===Dr. Elmo=== ====Albums==== *''Dr. Elmo's Twisted Christmas'' (1992) *''Dr. Elmo's Twisted Tunes'' (1993) *''Love, Death, and Taxes'' (2000) *''Up Your Chimney'' (2000) *''Dr. Elmo's MisceLOONYous Tunes'' (2000) *''Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer'' (2002) *''Christmas in the U.S.A.'' (2004) *''Dr. Elmo Sings the Boos'' (2005) *''Redneck Dracula'' (2006) <small>(with the Halloween Ghouls)</small> *''Redneck Santa'' (2007) *''Dr. Elmo Bluegrass Christmas'' (2010) *''Old Kentucky Home'' (2013)
==Filmography== * 2000 - ''[[Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (film)|Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer]]'' — Grandpa Spankenheimer, Adult Jake (Narrator)
===Dr. Elmo music videos=== *Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer *Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer Rap Version *Grandma's Killer Fruitcake *Uncle Johnny's Glass Eye *Christmas All Across the USA *Blame it On El Nino *The Witch and the Toad *Christmas in the USA *Prison Without Martha Stewart *All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth *Haunted Hoedown *Pointy the Pyramid Pumpkin *Redneck Dracula *Doomsday Waltz *The Fly *The Scariest Thing I'll Ever Do *What Scares You?
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Elmo.Shropshire Official website of Dr. Elmo]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shropshire, Elmo}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1936 births]] [[Category:Musicians from Lexington, Kentucky]] [[Category:Auburn University alumni]] [[Category:Bluegrass musicians from Kentucky]] [[Category:American bluegrass guitarists]] [[Category:American male guitarists]] [[Category:American comedy musicians]] [[Category:American male singers]] [[Category:American male voice actors]] [[Category:Singers from Kentucky]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Novato, California]] [[Category:Comedians from Marin County, California]] [[Category:Guitarists from Kentucky]] [[Category:20th-century American guitarists]] [[Category:20th-century American comedians]] [[Category:Country musicians from Kentucky]] [[Category:20th-century American male musicians]] [[Category:Masters athletes]] [[Category:American veterinarians]] [[Category:University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences alumni]] [[Category:Comedians from Lexington, Kentucky]] [[Category:American male comedians]] [[Category:Track and field athletes from California]] [[Category:Actors from Marin County, California]] [[Category:Male actors from California]] [[Category:American people of English descent]]