In tandem with his puppet Shotgun Red, Steve Hall emerged as one of the most popular figures in contemporary country comedy. Hall was a struggling musician when, in 1982, he discovered a puppet outfitted in traditional Nashville gear -- cowboy hat, plaid shirt, denim vest, and the like -- in the back of a small Minnesota hobby shop; on a whim, he purchased the puppet, dubbed him Shotgun Red, and began incorporating the toy into his act. Later that year, Hall appeared on The Ralph Emery Show; the famed host took an immediate liking to the Red character, and months later the comedian was tapped to be a regular on Emery's new TNN program Nashville Now. In the years that followed, Shotgun Red became a beloved institution of the Nashville community, with Hall lurking in the shadows behind him; the pair regularly appeared on a variety of TV shows, including Hee Haw, and also made numerous appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. They also issued several comedy LPs. ~ Mark Donkers