An inspirational story of Blackburn’s Ted McDermott, known affectionately as the 'Songaminute Man’ has been made into a film.
Titled 父と僕の終わらない歌 (My Father and I and our Never Ending Song), the story is now set in Yokosuka, Japan and tells the tale of a former singer living with dementia, whose love of music never fades.
Teddy Mac, born in Wednesbury and later living in Blackburn, captured hearts singing classic swing songs with his son Simon during car rides around Blackburn and the Ribble Valley.
As his memory faded, music became the bridge between past and present – and gave hope to thousands of families facing similar challenges.
To coincide with the film’s release, the memoir The Songs That Saved Us – originally published as The Songaminute Man – is being re-released in paperback in the UK on June 5.
The updated edition includes a new chapter reflecting on what’s happened since those first car videos went viral, and the emotional journey of caring for a loved one with dementia.
The book synopsis reads: “Simon McDermott first noticed his dad Ted’s sudden flares of temper and fits of forgetfulness. Then came the devastating, inevitable diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. The dad Simon knew seemed to be drifting further away, and he had no idea how to reach him.
“Then, one day in the car, Simon hit play on Ted’s favourite song. And just like that, they were simply two mates driving around Blackburn, singing at the top of their lungs. That moment would change the course of their lives forever.
“Simon filmed their adventure, uploaded the video to YouTube and woke up to messages, tweets and his phone ringing off the hook. Their carpool karaoke had gone viral all the way across the globe.
The film premieres in Japan this Friday, May 23. The Songs That Saved Us is available to pre-order now via Amazon, Waterstones, and all good bookshops.
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