Ernie Shill was born to be funny—though his strict, religious mother and “heathen Methodist” father didn’t always appreciate it. Raised in Houston, Texas, as the middle of five kids, Ernie perfected his comedic chops early, often earning a good old-fashioned country ass-whipping for his jokes. School was less about learning and more about performing three shows a day as the class clown, much to the dismay of his teachers.
After a brief stint at the University of Houston (about 45 minutes, to be exact), Ernie joined the U.S. Navy, where his sense of humor landed him in trouble more often than not. Post-military, he spent 20 years as a welder before finding his true audience—truckers. With a CB mic in hand, he made drivers laugh coast to coast, eventually writing down his best material. A friend convinced him to call Laughing Hyena Records, and after a phone audition with Arnie Hoffman, Ernie was on a plane to Las Vegas to record his first comedy album. Seven recordings later, his humor is still making waves.
Now retired and battling writer’s block, arthritis, and calluses on his backside, Ernie spends his days contemplating a Hover Round to keep up with the ladies at the Senior Center.
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