# Impressive amateur performances on YouTube? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2010, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898 "2010-09-07T08:21:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/1 "2010-09-07T08:21:07Z")
Probably a repeat here, but I want to focus specifically on amateur actors/musicians/whatever who have put their stuff up on YouTube that particularly stands out in your mind. The case that inspired this thread is rather obtuse to most, but I’ll toss it out anyway. There’s a Japanese role-playing video game called Persona 4 (look it up on Wikipedia if you like). It’s generally acknowledged as quite a good game, but it, like almost anything regardless of quality, is ripe for mockery. A LiveJournal-er with the handle “hiimdaisy” has been writing and illustrating a comic parodying the game, hanging a lampshade on all the plot and characterization weirdnesses. Someone decided to take this comic and [dub it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUTQKMRLYQ) I’m quite impressed at the quality of the voice actors this person assembled for the dub. The narrator, for instance, has quite a good announcer/narrator timbre to his voice, which makes his funny lines all the funnier. But they’re all excellent; I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re listening to the next Yuri Lowenthal or Rob Paulsen somewhere in there. What’re your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/2 "2010-09-07T12:16:11Z")
[This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiInBOVHpO8) was sent to me today. Guy on the street laying down some beats and kicking ass. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/3 "2010-09-07T13:52:12Z")
There are two well-known cases where someone has parlayed their YouTube fame into professional status. The first is Brandon Hardesty: > **[Brandon Hardesty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Hardesty)** > > Brandon Allan Hardesty (born April 13, 1987) is an American comedic performer and actor. Hardesty posts original comedy videos as well as "uncanny" recreations of scenes from movies, playing every part himself. The Village Voice writer Julian Dibbell has called his works "web culture at its finest." > Hardesty was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the youngest child in the family. He is the son of Susan and Brent Hardesty, who is a pianist. Hardesty's mother collected silly hats and placed a suit of ar... In that case he’s not yet a star, but he got a chance at it via YouTube. The other case is Justin Beiber: > **[Justin Bieber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Bieber)** > > Justin Drew Bieber (/biːbər/ BEE-bər; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. He is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and global influence in modern-day popular music. Bieber was discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun and signed with RBMG Records in 2008, gaining recognition with the release of his debut seven-track EP My World (2009) and soon establishing himself as a teen idol. > Bieber achieved commercial success with his teen pop-driven debut studio album, My W... He clearly is a star. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/4 "2010-09-07T14:39:19Z")
Not sure what to do with now-legend on the uke **Jake Shimabukuro**. The guy is a total monster - his version of [While My Guitar Gently Weeps](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k)is brilliant. He may or may not have been pro, but was unheard of outside of Hawaii before Youtube. This and other videos have paved the way to a broader pro career for him… ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/5 "2010-09-07T14:55:03Z")
Girl (?) with beautiful voice singing beautiful song beautifully: [The Cave](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3sS7TT5WBM) (covering the Mumford and Sons original). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/6 "2010-09-07T15:00:57Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiInBOVHpO8) was sent to me today. Guy on the street laying down some beats and kicking ass. Good god, that’s amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/7 "2010-09-07T15:12:48Z")
Eight-year-old [Irene Cara](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrOgQe6lfA) on “Ted Mack.” ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/8 "2010-09-07T15:17:29Z")
I’ve liked this one for a couple years…it’s not a really well known song, so I’ll link the original too [Stone Temple Pilots - Wonderful (live)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUSZeuSEMWY) (no album version on YouTube apparently) [O Soma - Wonderful (acoustic cover)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X7v1Oqn268) ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/9 "2010-09-07T17:08:38Z")
[11 year-old girl playing Rush’s YYZ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XsYuHbXZUk), doing all the parts except most of the drums are preprogrammed. [Rite of Spring on guitar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oagd6EcyK0g) This guy used a guitar and very few effects to play all the parts (not at the same time though) of the opening of the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/10 "2010-09-07T19:41:53Z")
[You’re Gonna Miss Me, Lulu and the Lampshades](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWCOYJg9ps4) not totally sure they’re amateurs, but it always makes smile. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/11 "2010-09-07T19:54:04Z")
[This drummer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaOulFOWtbY) is pretty amazing. Maybe he’s somebody famous in the drumming world, but he looks to be a college marching band type drummer, so I think he’s an amateur. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/12 "2010-09-07T20:30:40Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiInBOVHpO8) was sent to me today. Guy on the street laying down some beats and kicking ass. That is damn impressive. Now I gotta go buy his CD. ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/13 "2010-09-07T22:17:16Z")
Beatboxing and playing the flute at the [same time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/14 "2010-09-08T01:15:46Z")
I love what [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vch-Z9ccHTk) [person](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsBfj6khrG4) does with amateur YouTube performances. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/15 "2010-09-08T05:50:42Z")
Not sure if it counts since **Ronald Jenkees** has parlayed his YouTube fame into a semi-professional career but [Guitar Sound](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smE-uIljiGo) is completely bad ass. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/16 "2010-09-08T06:47:34Z")
It’s likely everyone’s already seen this, but [Groovy Dancing Girl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr2JneittqQ) (Sophie Merry) deserves a mention. She parlayed her YouTube fame into [an endorsement deal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvN8ri87zLs&feature=related) for a clothing label (that one might be even better than the original). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/17 "2010-09-08T06:57:56Z")
**James Dupre** posted some amazing vocal performances, apparently delivered from his bedroom. In fact here is one of the best renditions of [Mr. Bojangles](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMYXwCBC7k8) you will hear. Check out his other vids, too. Those vids were posted some time ago. He seems to have since [gone pro](http://jamesdupre.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/18 "2010-09-08T21:33:24Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > [11 year-old girl playing Rush’s YYZ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XsYuHbXZUk), doing all the parts except most of the drums are preprogrammed. 素晴らしいだよ！！ She is amazingly talented. Check out her [Carry On My Wayward Son.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pS5xzOWbwo) ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/19 "2010-09-09T02:06:42Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > **James Dupre** posted some amazing vocal performances, apparently delivered from his bedroom. He’s got a great voice - not an awesome guitar player, but with a voice like that he can go far… ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-amateur-performances-on-youtube/552898/20 "2010-09-09T05:21:08Z")
[Rich Menga](http://www.youtube.com/user/rmenga#p/u/48/-6j9_rkW-tM) is a very good guitarist for a non-professional casual player. He’s apparently a web admin, and just plays guitar for fun. [Playing some slide guitar blues with a Bic lighter](http://www.youtube.com/user/rmenga#p/u/125/XdMcvjirrv0) [Fender Squier Sounds like Crap! 2010 version](http://blip.tv/file/3807645). This is very impressive.