Elmo Shropshire is a veterinarian and humorous country artist who releases music under the stage name "Dr. Elmo." Best known for his recording of the offbeat Christmas hit "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," Shropshire was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 26, 1936. He later opened his own animal hospital in San Francisco, where he also began playing banjo in a bluegrass band. His wife, Patsy Trigg, was also a musician, and the two formed a country-folk duo called Elmo & Patsy during the early 1970s. Their self-titled debut, Elmo & Patsy, was released in 1974, and they released their career-launching single "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" five years later. The song's popularity was initially limited to country audience, although it soon became a Christmastime staple that transcended the boundaries of typical genres. Elmo & Patsy released Will You Be Ready? in 1980 Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer in 1983, with the latter album featuring an improved recording of the duo's signature hit. After Shropshire and Trigg divorced in 1985, Dr. Elmo recorded the song once again as a solo act and released it on Dr. Elmo's Twisted Christmas in 1992. He continued releasing solo albums well into the 2010s, with releases like 2004's Christmas in the U.S.A., 2006's Redneck Dracula, and 2010's Dr. Elmo Bluegrass Christmas all combining holiday themes with country textures.