Step back to 1968 and witness the unforgettable television moment that changed everything. Hosted by legendary bandleader and jazz icon Duke Ellington, Sound of Youth USA introduced audiences to a young folk singer from Flint, Michigan—Mary Smith. This rare footage captures Mary's moving performance and her victory in the national talent competition, decades before her son, Al Isaacs, would discover she was his birth mother. Featured in the award-winning memoir Finding Mary Smith, this remarkable piece of television history offers a powerful glimpse into the life of the woman at the heart of an extraordinary true story of adoption, DNA discovery, and family reunion.

Before her remarkable story came to light in Finding Mary Smith, Mary Smith was a rising voice in the late 1960s folk music scene. "Summer Go Slow," her first commercial recording, captures the sound that defined an era. This rare recording offers a glimpse into Mary's early musical career— years before her son, Al Isaacs, discovered at age 52 that she was his birth mother. Featured in the award-winning memoir Finding Mary Smith, this song is an important piece of a true story of adoption, family secrets, DNA discovery, and an extraordinary reunion more than five decades in the making.

The official launch of Finding Mary Smith began with a special edition of The Tom Kelly Show at The Next Chapter bookstore in Huntington, New York. Hosted by comedian and broadcaster Tom Kelly, this heartfelt conversation explores Al Isaacs' extraordinary true story of discovering at age 52 that he had been adopted, the DNA search that uncovered his birth family, and the emotional journey behind his award-winning memoir. Watch the full interview and experience the inspiring event that celebrated the beginning of Finding Mary Smith's journey with readers. Stay tuned for a surprise at the end!

It All Begins Here

It All Begins Here

It All Begins Here