We believe

“Grandma got run over by a reindeer
Walking home from our house Christmas Eve
You can say there’s no such thing as Santa
But as for me and Grandpa, we believe”
– Randy Brooks

We’ve all heard it, but to our delight at our holiday party on Zoom last Friday, the performer of the iconic Christmas novelty song known as Dr. Elmo surprised us with a specially recorded greeting and song as a favor to his longtime friend Shirley Dahl.

As client services manager at Advantage Performance Group, Shirley is a beloved and hardworking behind-the-scenes teammate who makes magic happen. (We recall seeing her carry an 8-foot plank on her shoulder, for example, while helping to set up last January’s Talent Development Think Tank.) She met Elmo Shropshire and his wife, Pam, back in the ’90s through a running club, and they’ve been friends ever since.

“He’s an extraordinary person,” Shirley says. His parents were tragically killed in a car accident when he was only 18, but he was able to put himself through college and veterinary school.  “He’s the most positive person I know, and he always finds good in the not-so-good news.”

Dr. Elmo originally recorded the song written by his friend Randy Brooks back in 1979, and it was initially met with controversy before it outperformed White Christmas and topped the Billboard charts. In 2000, he served as co-writer of the animated Christmas special based on the song and voiced the characters of Grandpa and the narrator.

During the Christmas season, he performs in various events across the country including benefit concerts for HolidayExpress.org. (Each year, Holiday Express visits 100 organizations from early November right up until Christmas Eve. bringing its unique brand of music, food, presents, hope and joy, and much more to those in need of the gift of human kindness.) And, at age 84, Elmo is also an elite competitive runner and banjo player extraordinaire. He’s ranked No. 4 in the world for the mile in his age group.

If you need some inspiration this holiday season, or if you just want to help spread some Christmas cheer, have another listen to his unforgettable hit comedy tune.  We believe Dr. Elmo’s story will forever change what it is you really hear.

One great thing: Spead some Christmas cheer
Get into the holiday spirit with Dr. Elmo as he performs Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. We’ll also share more of the heartwarming and surprising backstory of the performer behind one of the most recognized and popular Christmas songs ever recorded.