Dr. Elmo’s Bluegrass Christmas

Well… today marks the first day of Autumn, so I think that mean the Christmas marketing season is upon us. And with Christmas gift-giving in mind, you’ll surely want to consider this new Time-Life release from a mega-million selling artist.

Dr. Elmo, famous for his hit song Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, is back with a new release this year with a bluegrass theme. Bluegrass Christmas offers 12 tracks, mixing grassified arrangements of Yuletide favorites with Elmo’s original takes on the holiday season. It even includes an instrumental version of Grandma.

You’ll hear a rollicking version of C’mon Boys It’s Christmas, Jingle Bells, Grandpa In The Santa Suit Show and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Elmo is on banjo with his long-time producer, Gary Potterton, on all the other instruments. Take a listen to a few samples from the CD:

Greensleeves: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/greensleeves.mp3]

Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/jesu.mp3]

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (instrumental): [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/grandma.mp3]

Despite the corn pone image, Dr Elmo is far from a made up character. He is Dr. Elmo Shropshire, a Veterinarian with an animal hospital in the San Francisco area, a Kentucky native, and a long-time bluegrass musician. KSAY radio in San Fran carried his radio show, The Great San Francisco Bluegrass Experience, from 1969 to 1971.

He performs regularly in the Bay Area with his own bluegrass group, Dr. Elmo and Wild Blue. The Doc is on banjo with John Pierson on guitar and Larry Carlin on bass.

You can hear more samples from Bluegrass Christmas on Dr. Elmo’s Facebook page.