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HISTORY RELATED & PRE 1970 AA RECORDINGS Alcoholics Anonymous talks & other recordings that pertain to AA history & AA talks recorded prior to 1970 |
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SYBIL CORWIN - LAGUNA BEACH, CA 1980
Sybil, from Los Angeles, California was known as the First Lady of AA on the west coast. In this Alcoholics Anonymous talk, recorded in Laguna Beach, California in 1980, Sybil talks about the “Old Covered Wagon Days,” of AA when the Twelve Traditions were first being formed. She covers the traditions only loosely while mixing in part of her own memories. After first hearing about AA, she called Cliff Walker and demanded that he send an AA ambulance right out to get her. Sybil quit drinking at age 32. Marty Mann (Women Suffer Too), on the east coast was sober for nine months when Sybil entered AA. As Sybil reflects back on her earliest days in AA she mentions quite a few names of the earliest members in California; names such as, Cliff Walker, Barney Haller, Clarence McFadden, Al Silverton, Eddie Fallon, Frank Randall, Mort Joseph, Harry Chisholm, Pete Cunningham, and Lee Fowler. Sybil tells how they avoided, what could have been construed as unhealthy competition between early groups. She tells how they would perform plays about the Twelve Steps. Sybil tells how she paid a twelfth step call on the movie actress, Lillian Roth. She wraps up this talk by saying that in those early days they were not supposed to mention God, but “I can now say that God sustains me daily……..and you do too.” Sybil passed away on April 29th, 1998.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 47 Minutes
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SYBIL CORWIN - WATERLOO, IA 4-9-93
Sybil, from Los Angeles, California delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Anniversary meeting in Waterloo, Iowa on April 9th, 1993. She was sober for 42 years at the time of this talk; her date of sobriety is March 23rd, 1941. She was an AA pioneer on the west coast and has a great story as well as knowledge of the early days of AA. Sybil introduces her self by saying, “My name is Sybil Doris Adams Stratton Hart Maxwell Willis Corwin and I’m an alcoholic.” She was married five times. She was born in a small Texas town and began drinking at age 15. Nine days was the longest that Sybil had gone without alcohol in her 17 years of drinking. She attempted suicide many times. After living in Los Angeles for a few years, she just happened to come across the 1941 Saturday Evening Post magazine with the Jack Alexander article on AA in it. She goes on to tell about writing to Ruth Hock for information, her first experiences at AA meetings, and linking up with AA pioneer, Cliff Walker. She covers the steps in the last ten minutes in a unique way; she tells how she overheard her brother explain them to another fellow. Many years later she realized that he was really speaking with her about her own program. Really a great speaker.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 65 Minutes
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SYBIL CORWIN 4-18-85
Sybil, from Los Angeles, California was known as the First Lady of AA on the west coast. She gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk on April 18th, 1985. At the time of this talk, Sybil was 79 years old and had 46 years of sobriety. She tells of an early spiritual awakening she had when she stumbled into a revival meeting. Sybil just happened to pick up the March 1941 issue of the Saturday Evening Post. That was when she first heard of AA. She wrote to AA in New York City and got a quick response from Ruth Hock who put her in touch with local Los Angeles AA members, Frank Randall and Cliff Walker. Sybil tells of hearing Doctor Bob speak once on the topic of anonymity and that members of AA should not be completely anonymous to each other. She tells of a very soothing letter she received from Bill Wilson after the death of her brother, Tex had died. This is a really good talk from an AA old-timer.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 55 Minutes
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TALBOT HAYGOOD - LOUISVILLE, KY 2-20-60 (2 CDs)
AA oldtimer Talbot Haygood, recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk way back on February 20th, 1960 at the 9th Kentucky AA Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Talbot, a tobacco auctioneer, has got a lot of good-ol’-boy humor that he laces into this talk. Between the years of 1936 and 1940, Talbot describes himself as nothing but a drunken bum. He was court marshaled 11 times and an eventually discharged from the US Army because of his drinking. Talbot was so desperate for alcohol at one point, he resorted to drinking Cleanso Shampoo and was “Blowing Bubbles for Weeks.” His drinking caused him to be blackballed by the railroad. Talbot signed a Temperance Pledge with a Catholic Priest. When he was at his lowest point, some AA members just happened to stumble into his path. Talbot first came into AA in 1950. Towards the end of his talk, Talbot gets very serious and full of gratitude.
Contents – 22 Total Tracks
Total Length – 102 Minutes
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THE DAY DOCTOR BOB DIED (2 CDs)
You may have heard or at least heard of the recording called “The Day Doctor Bob Died,” by Bill Wilson. In actuality there is no recording that Bill Wilson himself made at the time of Doctor Bob’s death. That popular recording is actually actor, Bill M. This 2 CD set is the ENTIRE 90 minute recording that has been remastered so that every word is crystal clear.
On this recording Bill M acting as Bill Wilson, is speaking on the day that Doctor Bob died in 1950. Bill M has taken information from many of Bill Wilson’s speeches and writings and combined them into a well delivered talk. This talk contains information about Bill Wilson that had never been heard before. Based on re-enactments of historically accurate conversations and speeches, this intimate sharing of Bill W. recalls significant moments in his life and his downward spiral into alcoholism. Struggling to get and stay sober, Bill is introduced to Dr. Bob and the two discover the shared benefits of one alcoholic talking to another. This CD introduces the audience not only to a man who changed medical history by offering a program of recovery from a highly complex and often misunderstood disease, but to a man who continued to wrestle with his own problems of pride and discouragement. This recording also contains some occasional, well-placed background music that adds quite a bit to the feel of the talk. You won’t be disappointed!
Contents – 18 Tracks
Length – 89 Minutes
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TOM O'BRIEN - ROSARY HALL CLEVELAND, OH 1957
We don't have a description of the contents of this CD because we have not personally listened to this yet. Please let us know if you have any comments or questions after listening to it.
Contents - 11 Tracks
Length - 55 Minutes
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TOM PEOPLES - SHARON, PA 10-24-66
Tom is from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Sharon, Pennsylvania on October 24th, 1966. He is the youngest of six children in an Irish-Catholic family and born and raised in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Tom left college at age 17 due to his drinking. By 1952, Tom had gotten married and had four children. He tried to quit drinking many times but could never make it past two or three weeks. Tom talks about a week-long bender that began at The Kentucky Derby. He woke up a week later at his home in Euclid, Ohio and had no recollection of what had happened. It was at that point that his wife took the kids and left. This was Tom's bottom. He had lost his wife and kids. He resigned from his job and lost a huge amount of severance pay. He lost his house and car. While sitting in a barroom all alone, he realized that he had also lost his God. Tom surrendered at this point and checked into a hospital. While in that hospital, Tom was twelfth-stepped by an AA oldtimer, Walter Kelly. It was December 28th, 1952 when Tom first entered AA. He was 37 years old and had 20 years of hard drinking under his belt. Tom suggests to the AA newcomer that if you can't accept the spiritual aspects of the program, don't worry about it, just let it lie there for now; eventually you will "Come to Believe." He feels that resentments and self-pity are deadly for us. We alcoholics are very thin-skinned. "We don't get AA, AA gets us!"
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 63 Minutes
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TOM POWERS - BLACKSTONE, VA APRIL 1961
AA Oldtimer, Tom Powers from Hankins, New York recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at Blackstone Retreat in Blackstone, Virginia in April of 1961. He tells about how, in 1939 he tried to quit drinking and was frightened to realize that he could not. Tom tells how, while in treatment for alcoholism, he received Metrazol Shock Therapy which involves injecting a patient with Metrazol, a drug that quickly induces powerful brain seizures. Later Tom began takings lots of sedatives and amphetamines. Tom talks quite a bit about what he calls the “marginal” benefits of AA; you may get your health back or you attain some wealth and serenity, but what is NOT marginal is SANITY.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 51 Minutes
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TOM POWERS - BROWNWOOD, TX 9-15-62 (2 CDs)
Tom Powers of Hankins, NY recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Brownwood, Texas on September 15th, 1962. Tom says he began his drinking career with “spiked beer” in about 1929 while attending the University of Illinois. Tom lived in the Detroit, Cleveland, and New York areas during his working and drinking career. Tom tells about the time in his life that he realized he had a drinking problem but good not get past needing the immediate gratification of that first drink. He joined a gym, thinking that would solve his problems. When Tom finally hit bottom, he went into convulsions and woke up in a psychiatric ward in a nut house. He says that even though he didn’t stay sober after attending his first AA meeting, he did get a strong feeling of HOPE that he still has to this day.
Contents – 18 Total Tracks
Total Length – 86 Minutes
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TOM POWERS - CLEVELAND, OH 1963
On this recording, Tom Powers of New York City tells his recovery story in a very insightful way at an Ohio Area Intergroup Banquet in Cleveland, Ohio. Tom helped Bill Wilson edit the book, Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions. He makes no specific mention of the 12 & 12 in this recording but certain themes of that book echo in his story. Tom was a close personal friend of Bill Wilson and he is mentioned extensively in Francis Hartigan’s biography of Bill W. This is a very good Alcoholics Anonymous talk.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 63 Minutes
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TOM VASSAUX - CINCINNATI, OH 7-18-59
This is a relatively short Alcoholics Anonymous recording by early Cleveland AA member, Tom Vassaux. This was recorded at the Ohio State Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio way back on July 18th, 1959. He had nearly 20 years of sobriety at the time of this recording. Tom says he was the very first alcoholic who was classified by the psychiatric clinic in Cuyahoga County as a “hopeless and incurable alcoholic.” Although not mentioning him by name, Tom tells a funny story or two about Clarence Snyder. He tells how Elrick Davis joined AA and then wrote the infamous Plain Dealer articles. Tom explains how the Borton Group in Cleveland split from the Abby Golrick Group. Then from the Borton Group came many other groups. This recording is a little AA history and a little of Tom’s own story.
Contents – 3 Tracks
Length – 15 Minutes
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TOM VASSAUX - EARLY CLEVELAND AA MEMBER
This is the recovery story of Tom Vassaux, an early member of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Cleveland, Ohio area. His sobriety date is December 31st, 1939. He sobered up around the time of the Plain Dealer newspaper articles. On this recording, besides telling his own story he talks a bit about the history of AA in Cleveland. He talks about the importance of quiet time and working with others. Tom says, like many alcoholics he was the black sheep of the family. Resentments played a role in his progressing alcoholism. Tom tells how he got sober and tells of some of the other early Cleveland AA members. This recording was made from the original reel to reel tape so the sound quality is quite good.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 67 Minutes
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TOM VASSAUX - PARMA, OH 1-4-1960
Tom, a very early member of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland recorded this AA talk at the Parma Group in Parma, Ohio on January 4th, 1960. He had been in AA for 20 years at the time of this recording. Tom tells how a judge that was about to sentence him, gave him the phone number of Clarence Snyder. He joined AA at about the time the Borton Group got started and the Cleveland Plain Dealer articles were written. There were less than 100 members in the whole area at that time. Tom says that the very first Cleveland AA Group (at Abby Golrick’s house) was mainly made up of professional people. Tom believes he owes a great debt to some early AA members in the area; men such as Jack Darrow, Clarence Snyder, Warren Chisholm, and Benny Hughes. He was very active at the 1950 AA Conference in Cleveland. Tom is a good, solid AA speaker and this recording is very clear despite its age.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 51 Minutes
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TONY KUCHAR - NILES, OH 1-11-68
Tony, from the Smith-Wilson Group in Cleveland, Ohio delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Niles, Ohio on January 11th, 1968. At first, Tony talks about his appreciation for the AA program and about what he’s learned since joining. Before become an AA member, Tony said his earlier pattern of Drink-Fun, Drink-Fun became Drink-Trouble, Drink-Trouble. His drinking got so bad that he was frequently making an ass out of himself in front of family and friends. He spent a lot of time in jail. He began having blackouts. He had his first contacts with the AA program in 1940, 1942 and 1943. On February 28th of 1944, Tony hit his “Own Personal Gutter,” and surrendered. After a period of sobriety in AA, he founded the Smith-Wilson group in 1946. Tony says that the real secret of remaining sober is to continually give the program away to others who want it.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 59 Minutes
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TWELVE STEPS WITH A COLORED GROUP 9-14-59
Twelve Steps with a Colored Group was the name of this recording when we acquired it. Even though it may not be 100% PC, we thought we'd leave it that way and not re-title it. This recording was made at Group #43 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 14th, 1959. The twelve steps are not covered individually but instead they've broken them up into four sections; admission, spirituality, restitution and carrying the message. The chairman of the meeting is Lavern who speaks before and after the other speakers. A woman by the name of Alice speaks on the admission section. Doreen speaks on the spiritual aspect of the program. Olivia talks about restitution and Jim talks about carrying the message to others. A very interesting recording.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 70 Minutes
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VIRGIL H - COOKSBURG, PA - SPRING 1963
Virgil H from Morgantown, West Virginia recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk way back in the spring of 1963 at Cook Forest State Park in Cooksburg, Pennsylvania. Virgil’s got a great southern drawl. He wastes no time getting into his story. Virgil didn’t begin drinking until age 34. Several family members were alcoholics and he didn’t drink for all those years because of that. Virgil was in several businesses during his drinking years including the funeral business. He tells some funny stories from that time period. Virgil had a tough first year in AA, relapsing 18 times. He’s also had some difficult times in sobriety and thanks AA for getting him though.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 56 Minutes
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WARREN CHISHOLM - BIRMINGHAM, AL AUGUST 1963
Very early Cleveland AA member, Warren Chisholm recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Birmingham, Alabama back in August of 1963. Warren had been associated with the Alcoholics Anonymous program for 24 years at the time he made this recording. Warren was born in Boston, Massachusetts and his drinking had progressed quite far by the time he came to Cleveland. In 1937 he found himself at the end of his drinking road. He entered the rooms of AA when there were only about 11 or 12 other members in the Cleveland area. Warren’s sponsor was Clarence Snyder who was sober for just a year and a half when he sponsored Warren. Warren was living on skid row for two years just prior to entering AA. Most people were supposed to be hospitalized first but because Warren had very little money, he was basically twelfth stepped by a bunch of AA guys in a house on the east side of Cleveland. A big part of Warren’s message in this recording is about the AA member’s tremendous responsibility of carrying the message.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 69 Minutes
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WARREN CHISHOLM - BLACKSTONE, VA OCTOBER 1962
Warren Chisholm was an active part of the explosive growth in Cleveland area AA following the Plain Dealer newspaper articles and is considered to be Cleveland AA Number 12. Warren recorded this AA talk at The Blackstone Retreat in Virginia in October of 1962. He was 12th stepped into the program by Clarence Snyder who was also his sponsor. Warren was active in Alcoholics Anonymous for decades.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 56 Minutes
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WARREN CHISHOLM - CANTON, OH 1964
Warren delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Canton, Ohio in 1964. Warren tells it like it is. He was brought into the AA fellowship by his future sponsor, Clarence Snyder. He was the twelfth AA success in Cleveland, Ohio. Warren says that, “Nothing funny happened to me on the way to AA.” He knew he was drinking abnormally long before his introduction to AA. This is a good talk from someone who was there very early on. Warren says, “If you give AA a chance, not only will you find the solution to your drinking problem but the means whereby you can overcome every single problem that you have in life!”
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 52 Minutes
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WARREN CHISHOLM - COOKSBURG, PA 5-24-69
Warren, a Cleveland area AA pioneer from Lakewood, Ohio gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at Cook Forest State Park in Cooksburg, Pennsylvania on May 24th, 1969. He was almost 30 years sober at the time of this recording. Warren had taken his last drink of alcohol on July 3rd, 1939. He took his first drink at about age 17 and believed he was an alcoholic beginning at that time. Warren says he was always playing the Big Shot; he was buying rounds of drinks at the bars but there wasn’t bread at home for his kids to eat. In July of 1937, Warren began his final two years of drinking; his last two years of Hell. He tells how grateful he was to meet his AA sponsor, Clarence Snyder. Clarence took him to be “indoctrinated” into AA at the home of Abby Golrick where the very first meetings in Cleveland took place. Warren says that getting sober is not a game for “pantywaists and sissies.” Getting sober is not an easy thing to do. Toward the end, Warren talks quite a bit about how he believes the AA fellowship to be a truly great thing.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 70 Minutes
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WARREN CHISHOLM - NORTH CAROLINA 1969
We don't have a description of the contents of this CD because we have not personally listened to this yet. Please let us know if you have any comments or questions after listening to it.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 67 Minutes
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WARREN CHISHOLM JR - GIRARD, OH 3-13-67
Warren, from the Edge Lake Group in Cleveland, Ohio delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the very first meeting of the Churchill AA Group in Girard, Ohio on March 13th, 1967. Warren says he had some difficulty getting drunk because someone would always report him to his father, who was an AA pioneer in the Cleveland area. He speaks very negatively about his wife who had absolutely no compassion for his drinking problem. Warren attended his first AA meeting on April 23rd, 1953. He believes in very hardcore sponsoring; being brutally honest with the newcomer. After making amends with his wife, his marriage became the best thing that ever happened to him. Warren also use to hate his father, but now that he himself is sober, he realizes that his father did indeed have quite a bit of wisdom.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 48 Minutes
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