He started at WSM, Nashville as a staff musician in 1934[2] and headed the Missouri Mountaineers on the Grand Ole Opry[3][4] during the later part of the 1930s.
[5][6] He played guitar with many jazz and pop acts of his day including Kate Smith, Bob Crosby,[7] Paul Whiteman[8] and others.
[9] He was a left handed guitarist and was one of the originators of the Nashville sound style of recording.
[8] In 1950, he released the title Written Guarantee with Owen Bradley and His Quintet.
[2] Covers by Shook included Birmingham Bounce, Give Me a Little Old Fashioned Love, Goodnight Irene, I'm Moving on, Mule Bookie, Say When, There's a Little White House, and Wabash Blues.