My Grandfather was a mystery to me. He immigrated to America from Eastern Europe. My mom said that he had a very hard life. His English wasn't very good and when I was a kid, we didn't have much of a relationship. Unfortunately, he died when I was young. I never really got to know him. Decades later, I was scrolling through my Facebook Feed and came upon a post featuring a song that my grandfather had written and performed. I was blown away! My late grandfather was a musician and a songwriter? I had to learn more before it was too late. This podcast is dedicated to discovering my grandfather.
Episode 7 – Keeping the Dream Alive
After several years away, My Grandfather’s Secret Life in Music returns with a deeply personal and experimental episode. Host Jason Morris shares the heartbreaking news of the passing of his beloved grandmother, Denise—whose stories and support helped bring this family history to life.
In the midst of that loss, Jason continues his mission to honor his late grandfather Tony’s dream of becoming a successful songwriter. Using new AI tools and modern audio technology, he revisits Tony’s 1975 demo of the song “I Remember In My Heart.” What might it sound like if his grandfather’s music had reached the right singer, the right band, and the right studio decades ago?
By combining Tony’s original melody, lyrics, and demo recording with modern technology, Jason creates a full big band crooner-style version inspired by the classic sounds his grandfather loved. The episode also features a restored AI-enhanced version of Tony’s patriotic song “I’m The Soldier,” originally performed by the legendary West Point Band.
This episode is about family, legacy, loss, and the power of technology to help unfinished dreams live on.
Sometimes dreams don’t disappear—they just wait for the next generation to carry them forward.
10 Oct 2020
BONUS - THE GIFT
This is a bonus clip. Way back in episode 2, I interviewed Steve Van Kirk about the day he recorded my grandfather performing his original song: I REMEMBER IN MY HEART. Steve also mentioned in his interview that he and his friend decided to cover grandpa's song many years later and gave it to him when he was very sick. Steve was told that my grandfather began crying when he first heard the recording because it meant so much to him. Apparently, my grandfather played it over and over again until the day he died. Luckily, my mother recently found this cover song on an old cassette tape. I wanted to play it for you now. It features Steve Van Kirk on guitar and Dex on vocals. I believe they recorded it in 1992. I hope you enjoy it. It's very special to me, because it was very special to my grandfather.
9 Oct 2020
BONUS - NICKY KERR "I REMEMBER IN MY HEART" DEMO
This is a bonus clip. Way back in our first episode, I interviewed my cousin, Nicky Kerr. Nicky is a talented singer, songwriter and musician. I asked her to record our late grandfather's song I REMEMBER IN MY HEART. She did that in a professional studio and it sounded amazing. You've heard her studio version many times on this show (it's part of our intro and close), but before Nicky went into the studio, she sent me a rough version of our grandfather's song that she recorded using her memo app on her phone. Still, I felt like her "rough recording" was incredibly touching and intimate. I wanted to share this emotionally charged recording with you in this bonus episode.
8 Oct 2020
BONUS - I'M THE SOLDIER
This is a bonus clip. Way back in episode 3, I interviewed my mother, Pamela, about my grandfather. It was a very touching interview and she was very honest and open about her father’s complex personality. She also told a story about grandpa writing a patriotic song that he wanted the West Point Band to perform. In case you didn’t know, the West Point Band is the U.S. Army's oldest active band and the oldest unit at the United States Military Academy. The band was located in NY, fairly close to my grandfather. My mom found the recording of the song on an old cassette tape. The tape was labeled: I'M THE SOLDIER. This composition shows that my grandfather wrote music for multiple instruments, which shows complexity in his musical skills.
7 Oct 2020
EPISODE 6 - THE TRIBUTE
In this episode, I do something different. We take some time to focus on my grandmother. Unlike my grandfather, my grandmother has been a huge part of my life. She's also my connection to my family's history. Unfortunately, her body and mind are starting to fail and it's time to pay tribute to her. I will interview my brother about our grandmother's impact on our lives. We will also talk with my mother about my grandmother's amazing life -- including the time her country was invaded and occupied by the Germans. In addition, my grandmother shares her own thoughts on leaving her country after World War II and coming to America. It's a heartfelt episode that you don't want to miss.
6 Oct 2020
EPISODE 5 - THE GRANDFATHER
In this episode, I interview my brother, Shane Morris. Shane is a screenwriter -- the storyteller of our family. We discuss all of the information that I've learned from this podcast so far, as well as some startling new information that my grandmother just revealed to my mother in the middle of the night. Shane helps me process everything and gives me his thoughts on what everything means, as we unpeel the many layers of our complex grandfather. I will also ask him to share his personal memories of our late grandfather, from his earliest memories till his death that left quite an impression on him. We will also talk about the struggles of immigrants in America today.
5 Oct 2020
EPISODE 4 - THE HUSBAND
In this episode, I interview my grandmother, Denise, about my grandfather's passion for music. She also sheds some light on the song that inspired this podcast, I REMEMBER IN MY HEART -- including the revelation of who the song is actually about. She also talks about grandpa's hard life as a child growing up in Czechoslovakia and his struggles later as an American immigrant trying to break into the music business. She even reveals a secret from his past that she didn’t even know about until after they were married. We will also interview my mother, Pamela Alexander, who helps give my aging grandmother's insights further depth and clarity. It's a great episode that you don't want to miss.
4 Oct 2020
EPISODE 3 - THE FATHER
In this episode, I interview someone who knew my grandfather quite well — his daughter, and my mother, Pamela Alexander. Pamela will tell us how she used to help her father write his songs as a young girl. She will also shed some light on the song that inspired this podcast, I REMEMBER IN MY HEART. This once lost recording reintroduced him to me all these years after his death. Pamela reveals the many sides of her complex father, including the struggles they faced growing up poor in America. It's a powerful and honest look at a man and his passion for music.
3 Oct 2020
EPISODE 2 - THE RECORDING
In this episode, I interview Steve Van Kirk. Steve is a fellow musician and has recorded a lot of music over the years. He's also the guy who posted my grandfather's song on Facebook, which inspired this entire podcast. The song is called I REMEMBER IN MY HEART and when I heard it recently for the first time, I was blown away. It's a rough recording, but it's haunting and it really got to me. Steve will take us back to that day in 1975 when he and my grandfather, Tony, sat down to record it. He will also tell us about his relationship with my grandfather over the years, including a special moment they had right before he died.
2 Oct 2020
EPISODE 1 - THE SONG
In this episode, I interview my cousin, Nicky Kerr. Nicky is a talented musician, singer and songwriter. As soon as I discovered the song I REMEMBER IN MY HEART, a song that our late grandfather recorded back in 1975, I had to share it with her. I had no idea he was a musician and a songwriter. I hoped that Nicky would find the lost recording a way to connect with our grandfather, and because she's a professional musician and songwriter, I had to hear her thoughts on the song. I also asked Nicky to do something special for this podcast. I asked her to learn how to play and sing Grandpa Tony's song. We will play and examine both versions of the song in this first episode.
23 Sept 2020
PROMO - - My Grandfather's Secret Life in Music
My Grandfather was a mystery to me. He immigrated to America from Eastern Europe. My mom said that he had a very hard life. His English wasn't very good and when I was a kid, we didn't have much of a relationship. Unfortunately, he died when I was young. I never really got to know him. Decades later, I was scrolling through my Facebook Feed and came upon a post featuring a song that my grandfather had written and performed. I was blown away. My late grandfather was a musician and a songwriter? I had to learn more, before it was too late. This podcast is dedicated to discovering my grandfather and the musical side of him that I never knew existed. This is: My Grandfather's Secret Life in Music. www.MyGrandfathersSecretLifeInMusic.com
22 Sept 2020
TRAILER - My Grandfather's Secret Life in Music
My Grandfather was a mystery to me. He immigrated to America from Eastern Europe. My mom said that he had a very hard life. His English wasn't very good and when I was a kid, we didn't have much of a relationship. Unfortunately, he died when I was young. I never really got to know him. Decades later, I was scrolling through my Facebook Feed and came upon a post featuring a song that my grandfather had written and performed. I was blown away. My late grandfather was a musician and a songwriter? I had to learn more, before it was too late. This podcast is dedicated to discovering my grandfather and the musical side of him that I never knew existed. This is: My Grandfather's Secret Life in Music. www.MyGrandfathersSecretLifeInMusic.com
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