Jerad was born in San Jose, California where he lived until 2002 when he became exiled in Duluth, Minnesota/Superior, Wisconsin.
When Jerad had 12-years of age, he started the guitar. He started it by playing the songs in the books for piano but they had those little "chord boxes" from which he learned those chords for songs like "Freight Train", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", and "Master of Puppets". He then switched from the "acoustic" guitar to the "electric" guitar which requires electricity. But now he plays only the acoustic guitar, because it is "well ventilated like a punctured mystery"
One time, his grandfather chipped a tooth on a Mrs. Field's cookie and was offered a life-time supply of cookies; he refused the offer and there has been friction in the family ever since.
