The Songs That Saved Us

The Story Behind the Songs

A father, a son, and the extraordinary power of music to bring them together.

When my dad, Ted McDermott, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, our family entered a world none of us was prepared for. Dad had been a singer all his life, performing in clubs across the Midlands and Lancashire, but as dementia progressed, the man we knew seemed to be slipping away. He became violent and aggressive and we felt alone in how to deal with the illness.

During some of the most difficult times, I began taking Dad on long drives, playing the songs he had loved throughout his life, as a way to calm him down. Something remarkable happened. The confusion and distress would ease, and Dad would begin to sing, remembering words and melodies that seemed untouched by his illness.

I started filming our journeys together. When I shared the videos online, they went viral, reaching millions of people around the world. What followed was extraordinary: more than £150,000 raised for dementia charities, a Pride of Britain Award, a record deal with Decca, and eventually an album recorded with the Guy Barker Orchestra.

But behind those joyful videos was a much bigger story.

Simon and Ted, singing together in the car.

More Than a Story About Dementia

The Songs That Saved Us tells the story of Dad's life, our relationship and the challenges our family faced following his diagnosis.

It's about the reality of caring for someone you love, the moments of frustration and uncertainty, and the unexpected joy that can still be found along the way. It's also a celebration of a man who spent his life singing and, at the age of 80, finally found himself performing for an audience of millions.

Above all, it's a story about family, love and the memories that connect us.

An Updated Edition

Originally published as The Songaminute Man, the book was released in an updated paperback edition by HarperCollins in June 2025, under the title The Songs That Saved Us: My Dad, Dementia and Me.

For this edition, I revisited parts of our story and added a new chapter reflecting on the years that followed the original publication.