My son Conrad Oberg is a 15 y.o. self-taught guitar and keyboard player from Jacksonville, Florida...he's also been legally blind since birth. We were introduced to JJ through a mutual friend in the music business, and Conrad was lucky enough to perform as a guest musician for all three of their 2010 New Year's shows at Freebird here in Jacksonville. I know that I'm preaching to the choir, but I wanted to let everyone know that JJ is one of the most genuinely humble, truly kind people that I've met. Every member of the band went out of their way to meet my son and speak to him before and after the shows. They really made him feel like one of the band.
I've included a link to a video of the last show which was shot from the side of the stage by my wife. I hope everyone notices the little things that we noticed as parents. Things like JJ helping Conrad find his mark when he was struggling to find it himself, and then telling Conrad that he did great and thanking him as he left the stage.
These are a nice bunch of guys and truly worthy of your support and following. I've thanked JJ privately several times since the shows, thank you for giving me a forum to do it publicly also.
Thanks fatdaddy for posting your experience and kind words. Everyone on here can second your thoughts on the type of guy JJ is and thus can easily believe your gratefulness to him and the band. It was very cool to see Conrad up there on stage and man can that kid wail on the guitar and keyboard! Amazing what people can do without the benefits of what alot of us take for granted. I play both guitar and keyboard and have been fortunate to have my vision my whole life and couldn't hold a candle to Conrad and his playing. Much less being self taught. ---------- Delerious Tyme
Mofro for life in Arizona The Rhythm Room is exactly that when the boys are kicking it here. "Walking on Moonlight in the Day."
Being a parent myself, I got goosebumps when I read: "I hope everyone notices the little things that we noticed as parents."
Your son is beyond talented! I was incredibly impressed all three nights I watched him play with Our Boys. And to think he is only 14! Great video at a great angle too, thank you so much for sharing and don't be a stranger.
...."it's the little things, little things - not expectations that make life worth living......worth living" - JJ Grey
:o)
---------- "If you've never seen us before, don't be bashful - sing along from start to finish........and dance & feel good.....there's enough shit in the world, let it all out...........Brighter Daaaaays...."
Nice to have you, fatdaddy! I was at two of the three Freebird shows, and we were all blown away with your son's talent! It was way cool to have him sit in with the band. It was an awesome preview of the jamming we would soon discover on Jam Cruise! Tell Conrad we love him!
fatdaddy111, What can anyone say about your son that you probably have not already heard,figured out, know, or have experienced ? As a father of two boys, one soon to be 11(next Friday), and the other 7, I can only imagine how proud you must be of your son. As for what may seem to others as a hurddle to him,yet something he has lived with, and deals with as a regular part of his life, I can honestly say I know how it is to be a parent of a child that has something a bit differnet about them, yet does not allow for it to keep him sidelined. Both of my boys are great kids, it just happens that my youngest was born with a congenital heart defect, that required open heart surgery at about 3weeks of age, and he will need more as time goes on. But that is just something that makes him who he is, not something that defines him or sets him in stone. I watched your son on the video, and got the sense that he might be blind, by the positioning, and care that JJ offered up, but that was not what defines your son, for it is his talent and heart for what he does, that are what we enjoy. I can only guess that what some might think of as a challenge, or hurddle for him, really might be considered something completely opposite. He probably...I imagine, has the ablit;y to use his other senses in ways most of us could only dream about, and that affords him some serious ability to play his guitar. You have a special kid alright, but not in the sense that would put on him as a lable, for he is specially gifted to be able to play like he does, and to have earned the right to be onstage with such other specially talented musicians. I tip my hat to you and your family. Now I got to go out and spread the word about this kid too. Hope you guys can make it up to Seattle sometime, so that I can collect that ticket stub, shake his hand, and most importantly hear him play.
FD111 - your son Conrad was AWESOME! I was truly AMAZED watching him play, and even more amazed watching him walk himself (totally unassisted, which you cannot tell from the video) back to Ferrell's keyboards as well! I think I can say for most of us there those nights that we all realized we were witnessing a great talent, and a special moment! I hope to hear/see him again soon!
I'm not sure that I can add anything to what my trophy wife said, or for that matter anyone above. I was blown away by Conrad. He is truly gifted. If you haven't seen it elsewhere on the site here's a video I shot of Ho Cake on NYE that featured Conrad.
Thanks so much for coming on and a hearty welcome bigdaddy. Our honor to have you here.
Last Edited by on Jan 19, 2010 5:06 PM
I watched this video again, and I found it pretty damn cool (from who I could see) JJ, Art, and Dennis were just a smiling watching this amazing kid play!!
it's the little things, little things..........
:o) ---------- "If you've never seen us before, don't be bashful - sing along from start to finish........and dance & feel good.....there's enough shit in the world, let it all out...........Brighter Daaaaays...."
Thank you for all of the kind comments (I've passed them on to Conrad) and for posting the video from the NYE show. It's rare that I get to see anything from the audiences perspective and liked seeing everyone having fun on stage. My wife and I joke all of the time that most musicians on stage with Conrad seem to have "Permagrin" and tell us how fun he is to play with.
Clay was very nice and posted a reference to Conrad's show coming up on Feb 20th at the Music Ranch in Lakeland, Fl. If anyone's interested, here is a link to Conrad playing with part of his band that will be playing that night. It's a high resolution video clip, so it may take a while to download, we hope you like it!!
http://conradoberg.com/meantownweb.mov
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