Creating Family History Songs with AI: Honoring Our Ancestor’s Through Music

Creating Family History Songs with AI-assisted Music Compostion to Honor Our Ancestor’s

As a genealogist, I’m always looking for unique ways to connect with my ancestors and make their stories come alive. Since the beginning of this year, I have been testing out the power of AI and its many family history and genealogy transforming capabilities, bringing my research to a whole new level. Recently, I ventured into a creative experiment that blended genealogy and artificial intelligence (AI) in an unexpected way: I used AI to compose songs based on my ancestors' life stories by creating a song to honor my 2nd great-grandfather, Samuel “Sam” Steinman, with AI playing a key role in crafting this musical tribute.

The Power of Storytelling Through Music

Genealogy usually revolves around research—documents, records, family trees, and dates. However, it’s the stories behind those names and dates that make genealogy so meaningful. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of finding new ways to tell those stories, whether through writing, video, or photographs. This time, I chose music to tell Samuel’s story.

Samuel Steinman lived during a pivotal time in rural America, facing the challenges of a changing world while raising his family and working hard on the land. To honor him, I wanted to create something that captured the essence of his life: resilience, hard work, and the enduring bond of family. And that’s where AI came in.

Using ChatGPT to Generate Song Lyrics

The process started with ChatGPT, an AI language model that can generate text in various forms, including song lyrics. I copied Samuel Steinman’s ENTIRE ancestor profile page/historical timeline on Ancestry.com (use can use your ancestor profile page from MyHeritage as well), which I had carefully compiled through my research and already had plenty of details and descriptions included in the facts, and pasted the entire profile page into ChatGPT with a simple prompt:
"Generate a song for my 2nd great grandfather, Samuel “Sam” Steinman using the following genealogical timeline: (pasted ENTIRE ancestor profile page)”

The AI quickly generated a song that captured the spirit of Samuel’s life, using storytelling lyrics to convey the key moments of his journey. From his humble beginnings in rural America to the trials and triumphs he faced along the way, the song brought his story to life in a way that I hadn’t imagined before.

Here’s a snippet of the lyrics ChatGPT produced: " A man of Ohio, born in the fall,
Worked with his hands, standing tall.
From butcher’s blade to family ties,
Sam Steinman lived under open skies."

The folk genre was the perfect fit for this project, with its storytelling approach and emotional depth. The lyrics reflected Samuel’s values and the strength he exhibited throughout his life, all while honoring his connection to the land and family.

Adding Music with AI Tools

Once I had the lyrics, it was time to add music. I used AI music generators like AI Music Factory and Suno to create instrumental backing tracks and produce a complete song, including voice. These platforms allow you to input lyrics or choose a musical style, and they generate a backing track that complements the mood and tone of the song.

With AI Music Factory, I was able to manually give directions to use a folk-inspired arrangement that included acoustic guitar, soft percussion, and a harmonica to echo the rural American setting of Samuel’s life, which ChatGPT generated. Suno, on the other hand, gave me a bit more of a modern take on the folk-inspired genre, blending traditional elements with subtle electronic enhancements to add depth to the song. Each version offered a different, yet powerful, interpretation of Samuel’s story.

Why Use AI to Create Family History Songs?

This experiment was not just about making music—it was about finding a new way to preserve and share family stories. AI offers a range of possibilities for genealogists who want to explore creative storytelling methods beyond the traditional family tree. Whether it’s generating lyrics, composing a soundtrack, or even creating visuals to accompany a family history, AI opens doors to new forms of expression.
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If you're looking to try this approach in your own research, here’s a step-by-step outline of how I brought Samuel Steinman’s story to life through AI-generated music:

1. Compile a Complete Historical Timeline
Start by gathering all the key events, locations, and personal details to add to your ancestor’s profile—just as I did with Samuel’s profile on Ancestry.com. Make sure you include important milestones, emotional moments, and any themes that resonate with your ancestor’s story.

2. Use ChatGPT to Generate Lyrics
Once you have a complete timeline, paste the ENTIRE ancestor profile page, in one swoop, into ChatGPT with a specific prompt. For example, you might request lyrics in a particular genre, tone, or mood that reflects your ancestor’s life. This customization can help tailor the song to the unique essence of the person you’re honoring, but ChatGPT will also generate it for you automatically, based on your ancestor timeline/facts and details, so there is really no need.

3. Choose AI Music Generators for Backing Tracks
After the lyrics and composition are complete, try using AI tools like AI Music Factory or Suno to create the instrumental backing track, and even voice. You can select the genre, mood, and instruments that best complement your ancestor’s story, or you can just free text what ChatGPT turned out for you. Experiment with different platforms to see what kind of soundscape works best.
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4. Combine the Elements
Finally, merge the lyrics, by pasting what ChatGPT gave you, and backing track to complete the song. You can also adjust the vocals or try different arrangements to refine the final product.

The Final Result

The songs I created for Samuel Steinman were more than just music—they were an emotional tribute to a man whose life shaped my family’s history. Each version of the song, whether created through AI Music Factory or Suno, brought Samuel’s story to life in a way that words alone could not. Check out the different outcomes using the same ChatGPT response!

Whether you’re a genealogist like me or simply someone who wants to honor a loved one’s memory, AI offers endless possibilities for creative expression. Through this project, I’ve discovered a new way to use AI in family history and genealogy and keep an ancestor’s legacy alive, and I encourage others to explore how technology can help us tell the stories of the past in innovative ways.

What do you think? Have you tried using AI to create family history songs, or do you have another creative method to share your ancestor’s story? Let me know in the comments!

​About the Author

I'm Diane Henriks, a professional genealogist with a passion for preserving family histories through creative methods. Whether through writing, music, or digital media, I strive to make each ancestor’s story come alive. I have experience in a variety of genealogical research areas, including expertise in unknown parentage, brick walls, DNA testing, descendant research, and living people search.

​More AI and Genealogy Resources

Learn about more family history and genealogy resources under the AI in Genealogy and  Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.