80-Year-Old Karaoke King With Alzheimer's Lands Record Deal

Many older adults fear that one day they may develop Alzheimer's disease, a condition that at least five million people in the United States are dealing with as we speak. In fact, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. 


One man, 80-year-old Ted McDermott, is crushing what people think it means to have Alzheimer's disease in an amazing way. Ted was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013 but is continually impressing those around him with his unbelievable singing voice. Remarkably, this man just landed a record deal after karaoke videos of Ted and his son that were posted to YouTube went viral. 

You have to hear Ted's story. 

SHARE this article with your friends on Facebook. This man truly shows that life is still possible with dementia. 

Meet Ted McDermott. 

In 2013, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a condition that has begun to take a toll on his mental capacity. His Alzheimer's has progressed to a point where he started becoming violent and confused. As many people know, memory problems also accompany the disease, which has affected Ted's ability to recognize his own son.

During his younger years, Ted worked as an entertainer as a Butlin's Redcoat. 

His love for singing and performing has spanned his entire life. 

Recently, Ted made it big on YouTube when his son posted videos of the duo singing karaoke to some old hits like "On The Street Where You Live" and "Lonely Is The Man Without Love."

He has racked up millions of views on his The Songaminute Man YouTube page. 

In a still of one of his YouTube karaoke videos, you can see the pure joy on his face while he's singing one of his favorite songs, "Quando Quando Quando."

With many Alzheimer's patients and those with amnesia, music memory and singing can be remarkably well-preserved. Obviously, Ted can belt with the best of them to this day. 

His son Simon finds that his father's Alzheimer's symptoms are soothed by singing, which has acted as a form of therapy for his father. 

What happened next stunned Ted and his family...

After noticing the attention that Ted's videos were getting online, Decca Records decided to offer him a record deal!

Even at 80, and with Alzheimer's, Ted is getting to record music professionally, something that thousands of 20-somethings are trying to attain on a daily basis. 

His son Simon explained to BBC News how the record deal has affected Ted and the entire family's life.

"There have been some really tough days in the last few years - especially for mum," said Simon. He added, "We threw an 80th birthday party last month and thought that would be his last time singing solo for people, so it's amazing to think he now has a single coming out!" 

Here's a clip of Ted giving it his all in a studio session.

He has already recorded a single in London with the Guy Barker Big Band at Abbey Road Studios. 

There's no doubt that Ted is redefining what it means to have Alzheimer's. The power of music may just go a long way in helping dementia patients deal with their difficult situation. 

It must be nice to hit the big time no matter what age you are. Congrats on such a big accomplishment, Ted!

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