The Christmas concert. The Easter celebration. The military fundraiser.

It’s been quite a year for the 18-year-old O’Brien, who has spread his passion for music through the region and raised thousands of dollars for worthy endeavors in the process. The 2022 St. Edmond Catholic School graduate knows full well, though, that his talent — and time — will only take the dream so far.

O’Brien recently hosted the “Brady O’Brien Live Gala” at the Opera House in Fort Dodge. It was an opportunity to shine the spotlight on his entire support system, which regularly transforms individual performances into full-fledged community events.

“I chose to host this Gala because I wanted to thank all of the volunteers, sponsors, and musicians that help us raise money,” said O’Brien, a piano wunderkind. “Without them, our events would not be possible. We decided to keep it a private, invite-only event so those invited would know how much we appreciate them.

Photo by Jason Braunschweig
Brady O'Brien presents a check to the Military Tribute Concert group during his gala event at the Opera House.

“It made it such a special night to be surrounded by the people who want to help others in our community, too.”

The Gala offered musical performances and a formal dinner to those in attendance, catered by Chef Michael Hirst and the Iowa Central Community College culinary arts program.

“It was a special event because it was a very formal night,” O’Brien said. “Everyone was encouraged to dress up to match the decor of the night, designed by Sadie Andersen (the future event operator and wedding coordinator at the reincarnated Laramar Ballroom).”

A check in the amount of $1,340 was presented to the Military Tribute Concert, a non-profit organization based out of Urbandale. O’Brien confirmed the funds are being used to support the organization’s homeless veteran project.

O’Brien also announced future fundraisers for both the Ronald McDonald House and the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Photo by Jason Braunschweig
Mikeal Campbell, a senior at Fort Dodge Senior High, performs during the 2022 Brady O'Brien Live Gala at the Opera House in Fort Dodge.

“We want to help them out for all that they do,” O’Brien said. “We will be raising money for these two entities in December at my next show, ‘A Very Merry Christmas.’ We believe they are both great causes to help those in need.”

The support for O’Brien’s vision has inspired him to turn a one-year whirlwind tour of shows into a long-term plan for the Fort Dodge fine arts.

“It’s amazing to see the amount of people wanting to help others,” O’Brien said. “I’m so excited to see what next year brings. I’m very happy with the people we could help over this (past) year, and I hope to help even more (into 2023).

“I’d like to give people more opportunities to see these shows and attend each fundraiser (moving forward). We have some new exciting things for our community (coming up).”

The Christmas show in December is expected to be part-encore, part-introduction to music lovers in the area.

“We had so many people (in 2021) reach out that they weren’t able to make it, so there will be a chance to see it,” O’Brien said. “We had such a great turnout last year, as we raised money for SOS — Serving Our Servants.

“We are making this event twice as big (as last December). We have a lot of new, exciting plans in the works for this event.”

Last year’s “A Very Merry Christmas” was held at Decker Auditorium in front of a capacity crowd. Because the Iowa Central venue is temporarily closed for a massive renovation project, this winter’s holiday concert will be at the Fort Dodge Middle School Auditorium on Dec. 17.

O’Brien is also involved in the Laramar Acquisition Co. LLC with partners Chris O’Brien and Joe Tuel. The group purchased the old Laramar Ballroom in June, with plans to renovate the 118-year-old downtown Fort Dodge facility and have it opened by the fall of 2023.

In addition to his social media presence, O’Brien is now offering his music on streaming platforms. He also plans on releasing a new album soon.

To support the Brady O’Brien Live causes or become a 2023 sponsor, call 515-408-7430 or email support@bradyobrienlive.com for more information. Sponsorship includes VIP perks, advertisements, invites to private events, reserved spots at future events and much more.