Listen to I’ve Got Heart here:

“Mr. Jeff creates music that speaks to children of all ages, sharing messages of positivity and joy.” - School Library Journal

A RECORD ABOUT HAVING HEART, MADE ENTIRELY WITH HEART.

“I needed this album when I was a kid. I grew up with severe ADHD, and I struggled to focus on just about anything. I wish I’d had something that gave me a framework for the kind of person I wanted to be: be kind, have patience, keep trying, show up, work hard, make good choices, stay curious, and care for yourself and the people around you,” says Jeff Klemm, aka Mr. Jeff.

“That’s really what I’ve Got Heart is about. These are big ideas, but they’re also simple things kids can carry with them as they figure out who they are and how they want to move through the world.”

“In a lot of ways, I made the album I wish I’d had when I was growing up.”

There is even a real heartbeat inside I’ve Got Heart.

On “Welcome To The World,” Mr. Jeff transformed the ultrasound heartbeat of his daughter into the song’s drumbeat, weaving an emotional family moment into the music. It captures something at the heart of the entire album: this is deeply personal music made by real people, together.

I’ve Got Heart turns those ideas into 12 original songs about the challenges, feelings, choices, and discoveries that come with growing up. At its center is a simple idea: having heart isn’t about always getting things right. It’s about learning who you are, how you treat others, and how you keep moving forward when things get hard.

Throughout the album, those big ideas become simple, tangible things kids can actually do: take a breath, think it through, ask questions, try again, keep swimming, show up, work hard, and remember that you are enough. The songs acknowledge that growing up can be messy. Waiting is hard. Feelings can be huge. Choices can be complicated. Sometimes you have to try something over and over before you get it right. Rather than expecting kids to have all the answers, I’ve Got Heart celebrates the process of figuring things out.

And there’s plenty of silliness along the way. A three-year-old rides the mood swings of being a “Threenager,” Daylight Saving Time becomes a wonderfully confusing childhood mystery, and the color indigo gets an entire musical investigation of its own. Other songs explore giving thoughtful feedback, making choices, celebrating the work behind accomplishing something difficult, caring for others, and finding confidence in yourself.

“Children’s music is more of a demographic than a musical genre, so I could build each song around what its story called for.” The album moves through high-energy indie rock and pop, Latin influences, singer-songwriter intimacy, marching band, and string quartet, tied together by big melodies, playful production, and hooks made for kids and grown-ups to sing together.

And the record was made with that same spirit.

Mr. Jeff produced and primarily mixed the album himself, bringing more than two decades of experience as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, performer, and audio engineer to the record. It was mastered by GRAMMY®-winning engineer Felix Gamarano.

For the title track, “I’ve Got Heart!”, a full marching band of local Akron musicians performs a score written by Jeff and expanded for winds and percussion by nationally renowned marching band arranger Nicholaus Meyers.

On the closing track, “I Will Take Good Care Of You,” GRAMMY®-winning artist Lucy Kalantari recorded a live string quartet in her studio performing Jeff’s arrangement, bringing the album to an intimate, cinematic conclusion.

Children’s artists Flor Bromley, Snooknuk, and Kymberly Stewart collaborate with Mr. Jeff across the album. Jeff’s younger brother, Los Angeles producer and songwriter Drew Louis, co-produced two songs and co-wrote the pop banger “What Is Indigo?” “Keep Swimming (feat. Snooknuk)” has also recently been added to SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live.

And woven throughout it all is Mr. Jeff’s family.

His wife, Jillian, sings on the record. Their children Silas, Juni, and Jonah contribute vocals. Five-year-old Juni hand-illustrated the album cover, with Jillian creating the final graphic design.

Before becoming Mr. Jeff full-time, Jeff spent four years teaching preschool and earned his Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™. I’ve Got Heart brings that experience together with more than two decades of making music: taking kids’ feelings seriously while leaving plenty of room for curiosity, movement, humor, whimsy, and silliness.

The album ultimately comes full circle. “I’ve Got Heart!” opens the record by asking what it means to have heart: courage, grit, compassion, dedication, kindness, and caring. “I Will Take Good Care Of You” closes it by putting those ideas into action through comfort, reassurance, and the promise to be there for someone else.

The result is a record about having heart, made with heart by family, friends, musicians, and a community who brought it to life together.

It’s the album Mr. Jeff wishes he’d had as a kid, now made for kids and the grown-ups who love them. Because growing up doesn’t stop when you become a grown-up, and we all need a little heart sometimes. 🫶🏼💛🫶🏼

Full Credits and Lyrics here:

“The songs Jeff performs and records draw on solid evidence to guide children through the ups and downs of life.” - Council for Professional Recognition

“I've Got Heart” - the fourth full-length Children's Music album by Mr. Jeff. Out Now! 🫶💛🫶

Featured Artists: Flor Bromley, Snooknuk, Kymberly Stewart (Miss Kym)

Additional Vocals by Jillian, Silas, Juni and Jonah Klemm

Musicians: Jeff Klemm, Max Brady, Sarah Behal, Natalie Martin, Kevin Gatzke, Matt Garrett, Tommy Lehman, Adam Grom, Kaiden Bos, Nathan Frimel, Tim Coyne, Robert Murphy, Charissa Dowe Rouse, Eva Gerard, Darius Kalantari

Engineers: Jeff Klemm, Lucy Kalanmtari, Benjamin Patrick, Robert Keith, Drew Louis, Erik Schnell, Kalden Orr-Bills

Mixed by: Jeff Klemm, Drew Louis

Mastering: Felix Gamarano

Arrangements: Jeff Klemm, Nicholaus Meyers, Max Brady

Studios: Jeff Klemm Music LLC, Joy Sound Lab, Akron Recording Company, Camp Louis, The Electric Company

Artwork: Juni Klemm, age 5

Graphic Design: Jillian Klemm

“This collection is great for family listening, in the classroom, or wherever there is a need for positive vibes.” - School Library Journal

For Your GRAMMY® Consideration:

BEST CHILDREN’S MUSIC ALBUM

Artist: Mr. Jeff

Album: “I’ve Got Heart”

MR. JEFF PUTS HIS WHOLE HEART INTO EXPANSIVE NEW CHILDREN’S ALBUM I’VE GOT HEART

Akron children’s musician’s fourth original full-length album blends indie rock, pop, marching band, string quartet, Latin music and intimate family recordings into 12 songs about growing up with courage, kindness and heart

AKRON, OH — Award-winning children’s musician, songwriter, producer and early childhood educator Mr. Jeff (Jeff Klemm) will release his fourth original full-length children’s album, I’ve Got Heart, on Friday, August 21, 2026.

At its core, I’ve Got Heart is a deeply handmade record. Built from live performances, real instruments, family voices, collaborative arrangements and hand-drawn artwork, the album reflects Klemm’s longtime DIY ethos and commitment to making children’s music with intention, musicianship and human connection. From a full marching band and string quartet to the voices of his own family, every part of the record was created and performed by people, with no generative AI used in the music or artwork.

Across 12 original songs, I’ve Got Heart explores what it means for kids to move through the world with courage, compassion, patience, perseverance, curiosity and confidence. Musically, it is Mr. Jeff’s most expansive record yet, moving between rock, indie, pop, Latin influences, singer-songwriter intimacy, a full marching band, string quartet and lullaby-inspired sounds, all tied together by big melodies and hooks designed for kids and grownups to sing together.

“I wanted this record to sound as big and varied as childhood feels,” says Klemm. “Kids are learning how to be patient, make choices, work hard, understand their emotions, care for other people and figure out who they are, all while still being silly and curious. There is a lot happening inside of kids minds, and I wanted the music to honor that.”

The album was produced and primarily mixed by Klemm in his home studio in Cuyahoga Falls and recorded across multiple studios, including two additional studios in Akron, as well as recording spaces in New York and Los Angeles. The album was mastered by GRAMMY-winning engineer Felix Gamarano in Phoenix.

“Children’s music is more of a demographic than a musical genre, so exploring different genres and styles of music on one album is creatively freeing,” Klemm says. “I can build each song around what its story calls for.”

For the title track, “I’ve Got Heart!”, Klemm composed a score featuring a full marching band, recorded with live local Akron musicians. Nationally renowned marching band arranger Nicholaus Meyers expanded Klemm’s initial score and arranged the wind and percussion parts.

The closing track, “I Will Take Good Care Of You,” takes another direction entirely. GRAMMY-winning artist Lucy Kalantari recorded a live string quartet performing an arrangement created by Klemm, giving the album an intimate, cinematic conclusion.

One of the record’s most personal moments comes on “Welcome To The World.” Klemm incorporated the actual ultrasound heartbeat of his daughter into the song’s drumbeat. His wife, Jillian Klemm, also sings on the track, transforming a family memory into part of the music itself.

Family runs throughout I’ve Got Heart. Jillian and the couple’s three children, Silas, Juni and Jonah, contribute vocals across the album. Five-year-old Juni Klemm hand-illustrated the album cover, while Jillian completed the graphic design.

The album also features guest collaborations with GRAMMY-nominated children’s artists Flor Bromley, Snooknuk and Kymberly Stewart.

Klemm’s younger brother, Los Angeles producer and songwriter Drew Louis, co-produced two tracks. Louis, whose work has included collaborations with Trixie Mattel and artists from the RuPaul’s Drag Race community, mixed “Keep Swimming (feat. Snooknuk)” and co-wrote, co-produced and mixed “What Is Indigo?”

“We both work in music full-time now, and we’ve always talked about writing together,” Klemm says. “It was SO fun and SO easy to write collaboratively. This feels like the first of many songs we’ll write together.”

That handmade approach extends to the album’s wide-ranging subject matter. I’ve Got Heart explores courage, grit, compassion, kindness, dedication, patience, decision-making, optimism, motivation, positivity and inclusivity alongside social-emotional learning concepts and playful educational subjects including colors, Spanish language and even daylight saving time.

The record builds on Klemm’s experience both onstage and in the classroom. Before focusing full-time on his Mr. Jeff music and programming, Klemm worked as a preschool teacher and earned his Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. His music combines that early childhood background with more than two decades of experience as a songwriter, performer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and audio engineer.

For Klemm, the title I’ve Got Heart ultimately describes more than one song.

“Having heart isn’t about always getting things right,” Klemm says. “It’s trying again. It’s caring about other people. It’s being brave when something is hard. It’s making mistakes and learning from them. It’s showing up and doing the work. These are gigantic ideas, but kids can understand them. I wanted to make a record that celebrates all of that while keeping kids’ feelings at the center.”

“Sometimes the songs are made for the grownups just as much as they are for the kids,” Klemm says. “We all need a little positivity and optimism, too.”

Two singles from the album have already been released: “Keep Swimming (feat. Snooknuk),” an uplifting song centered on resilience and perseverance, and “Patience,” a high-energy, indie-rock-inspired song about navigating one of childhood’s most challenging skills: waiting.

I’VE GOT HEART TRACKLISTING

1. I’ve Got Heart!

2. Keep Swimming (feat. Snooknuk)

3. Compliment Sandwich (feat. Flor Bromley)

4. What Is Indigo?

5. Patience

6. Show Up, Work Hard

7. Make The Best Choice (feat. Kymberly Stewart)

8. Daylight Saving

9. You Can Do Anything!

10. Threenager

11. Welcome To The World

12. I Will Take Good Care Of You

🎧 I’VE GOT HEART officially released on Friday August 21st. Physical CDs, digital downloads, and special bundles, including limited-edition merch, are available at www.mrjeffisfun.com.

Press!

“This new release brings Mr. Jeff’s signature silliness and sincerity to a fresh collection of songs that he hopes will "affirm, uplift and groove." - Cleveland Scene

“Mr. Jeff’s New Children’s Album Addresses Growing Up With a Healthy Dose of Silly” - Cleveland Scene

“Smart, Alt, Clever, and Catchy songs for kids and their grownups” - Brad Savage - The Summit FM

“Klemm’s experience as a Pre-K teacher, songwriter and musician are on full display, capturing the essence of messages and activities that have kid appeal and setting them to beats that they won’t be able to resist.” - Kids Rhythm and Rock

MUSIC VIDEOS

Discography

Single Artwork! All handmade by Jillian Klemm