Merlin Gene (Grigsby) is an American Country Music Singer, Songwriter, and Ventriloquist with an estimated net worth of $5 million in 2024.
merlin is famous for his traditional country music and comedy-style songs. He hosts his show, The Merlin Gene Show, on RFD TV, where he sings with various other country music artists.
Read on to learn about His age, height, ethnicity, education, career, personal life, net worth, and more!
| Name | Merlin Gene Grigsby |
| Also Known As | Merlin Gene |
| Date of Birth | October 31, 1956 (age 66) |
| Place of Birth | Hazard, Kentucky |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 5 feet 8 Inch |
| Profession | Country Singer, Ventriloquist |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Father | Gene Grigsby |
| Mother | Edith Grigsby |
| Sibling(s) | 1 |
| Education | High School Graduate |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Children | None |
| Net Worth | ~$5 Million (Est.) |
Merlin Gene’s Age
Merlin was born to his parents in Hazard, Kentucky, United States, on October 31, 1956. As of 2024, he is 66 years old. His zodiac sign is Virgo.
Merlin Gene’s Height & Weight
He stands at a height of 5ft 8 inches or 172cm or 1.72m. His weight is approximately 75 kg or 165 lbs.
Merlin Gene’s Nationality & Religion
He was born and raised in the United States and is an American national. His ethnicity is white. It is not clear what his religion is. He might be Christian, as he celebrates Christmas every year.
Merlin Gene’s Parents & Siblings
Merlin’s father’s name is Gene Grigsby, and his mother’s is Edith Grigsby. His father was also a singer and the one to teach him music. His father has passed away.
He has one sister named Sabrina Grigsby-Murphy. Other members of his family include his brother-in-law, David Murphy, his niece, Tori Murphy, and his nephew, Sean Murphy.
Merlin Gene’s Education
Although he was born in Hazard, Kentucky, he was raised in Ohio. Merlin graduated from Keystone High School in Ohio. It is not clear if he did higher studies after high school.
Merlin Gene’s Wife & Children
He is married to his wife, Leslie Nolan Grigsby. The couple got hitched on April 23, 2021, in Las Vegas.
Leslie went to Englewood High School and studied at the University of Florida. She was married to Tom Ennes, but her husband passed away. Then, she met Merlin, and the pair fell in love. She accompanies Merlin in his shows.
He does not have any children of his own. He has a stepdaughter named Britney.
Merlin Gene’s Career
He first worked for Saudi Arabian Airlines as an aircraft radio/radar technician before moving on to Jim Davis Auctioneers in Dallas, Texas.
Saudi Arabia was one of the countries in the conducted auctions. He was an auctioneer in the Middle East, selling oilfields and construction equipment.
Later, he left his job and started working full-time as a singer-songwriter and ventriloquist. The country singer is known for hits such as ‘I Think I’ll Give Drinking Another Try,” Voyage to the Bottom of the Glass,’ and ‘The Ballad of Hop Song.’
His discography is a mix of upbeat, dashboard-thumping road songs and emotional ballads. Novelty songs showcase Merlin’s comic side by allowing country music to decorate a number of witty, satirically laced tale songs.
Each song requires both a twangy, edgy Telecaster electric guitar and pedal steel guitar as essential components.
Typically, Merlin uses a ventriloquist figure (dummy) in his live performances. In addition to using a dummy and the typical “straight guy/fall guy” technique for comedy jokes, Merlin lets his characters perform live country music.
Through the use of an electronic harmonizer, Merlin and his vent figure can be heard “singing together in harmony” throughout the tunes.
He is adamant about donning a western cowboy hat and pointed, high-heeled cowboy boots. American-made acoustic and electric guitars from Martin, Fender, Gibson, and Master Guitar Builder Ed Foley complete his package.
Merlin continues the traditions of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, Ray Price, Del Reeves, and other musicians by singing traditional country music with a Bakersfield edge, steel guitar, and a twangy Telecaster.
Merlin Gene’s Net Worth
Merlin earns money for his music from streaming sites and the events and performances he sings in. He also holds concerts and hosts his TV show. He sells his DVDs and other merch on his website.
He earns quite a lot of money from his career as a country music singer and humorist. It is, however, difficult to estimate his Net Worth accurately. There is no information citing his Net Worth in the public domain.
Some sources suggest that Merlin Gene has an estimated net worth of $5 million in 2024.
Please read our article on other famous Singers
Merlin Gene’s Wiki
His first guitar is an all-original 1953 Gibson ES-175 with one single pickup. He and his dad bought it from an elderly man when he was eight years old.
They paid $150.00 for it and a Gibson Skylark amp with only tremolo (no reverb). He played that guitar a couple of times on his television show on The RFD TV network, “The Merlin Gene Show.”
He drove a Mazda 929 while working in Saudi Arabia.
As an auctioneer in the Middle East, Merlin had to do his auction chant in English and Arabic and say, “Sold!” In Arabic, for it to be a legal, binding sale. He did construction and oilfield equipment auctions worldwide, including Singapore, The Middle East, and other locations like Texas and Oklahoma.
The Merlin Gene Show
He has his own TV show, The Merlin Gene Show. On January 18, 2020, This Show had its television premiere on RFD-TV. Merlin recognized the need to showcase traditional country music with a Bakersfield twist.
The thirty-minute show features sporadic comic bits reminiscent of the venerable television program Hee Haw. Every performance also includes a gospel tune.
Aaron Tippin, Rhonda Vincent, David Frizzell, Leona Williams, Barbara Fairchild, Larry Cordle, and Ronnie McDowell have all previously appeared as guests.
His Show, which has only recently joined RFD, is currently among the most popular entertainment programs on the RFD Network.
Merlin Gene’s Ventriloquism
There were certain television shows he watched when he was younger that featured ventriloquists. He was attracted by the sight of a man using a puppet or dummy to make it appear to speak.
He instantly felt the want to imitate that behavior. He imagined how amazing it would be to perform alongside a “dummy” or ventriloquist partner and astound all bystanders and anyone who could witness him do this.
He was heavily inspired by ventriloquists such as Paul Winchell, Senor Wences, Jimmy Nelson, Shari Lewis, Jay Johnson, Willie Tyler, and Edgar Bergen.
He grabbed a white gym sock to act as a “sock puppet” at first. He ordered the “Jingo” character, who was rather huge and wearing size eight boys’ clothes, in 1983.
A thin wood called “basswood” was used to sculpt his head. He named his partner ‘Arjay Buechel,’ and they have been together ever since.
Merlin Gene’s Social Media
Here are Gene’s Social Media accounts and followings as of 2024:
| Platform | Followers |
| 3K | |
| 1K | |
| Spotify | 119 monthly listeners |
FAQS
Who is Merlin Gene?
American country music singer-songwriter and humorist Merlin Gene is renowned for his blend of classic country music and unusual, comical compositions.
How old is Merlin Gene?
He is 66 years old as of 2024. He was born on October 31, 1956.
How tall is Merlin Gene?
5 feet 8 Inch
Where is Merlin Gene from?
He is from Hazard, Kentucky. He was raised in Ohio.
Is Merlin Gene still living?
Yes, He is still living. He is 66 years old.
What is Merlin Gene’s net worth?
There is no information citing his net worth in the public domain. He earns a lot from his career as a country music singer and ventriloquist. He has an estimated net worth of $5 million in 2024.
