YouTube has turned numerous everyday people into celebrities.– Justin Bieber got his start on YouTube. YouTube truly is the modern-day talent search. Real, everyday people are now achieving instant stardom via YouTube. Recently, Barr-Nunn truck driver Brad James’ singing videos and parodies sent him zooming into the limelight. His video, Detention (You Ordered It, You Unload It) now has an impressive 134,406 views, and James is being interviewed by national and international media outlets.
James said he’s not doing the videos for stardom, he just wants people to enjoy his videos and hopes that they bring a smile to viewer’s faces.
In an interview with CDLLife, James said he loves singing and that he started singing in his church’s choir when he was 15 years old. In his 20s, he began singing karaoke, and he realized he was pretty good at it. After years of driving locally, James took a job as an OTR driver, and realized while he didn’t have much time for karaoke, he still had time to sing. One thing led to another and James began putting his singing videos on YouTube.
Thanks to Detention, James was an overnight sensation in the trucking industry.
James says he now posts a new video to his YouTube channel every 2-3 days. He keeps up with his fans on his Facebook page, where he takes requests and votes on his next songs.
James is hoping to put out a CD of his work. He’s working with a nationally-respected recording studio and famous musicians, but the production of the CD comes with a hefty price tag. James’ fan, Dave Sommers — son of the late Trucking Bozo, Dale Sommers, has set up a Go Fund Me page to raise the money for the production of the CD. To date, $1,900 has been raised.
It’s been a whirlwind year for James. He performed at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March and will be one of the featured guests and entertainers of next year’s Truckers Gone Wild cruise. We sure hope we see more from James in the years to come!