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JACK BOLAND
Jack has a nice, solid voice but very soothing at the same time. Jack says that this program is about us feeling good about ourselves again, because we made our own misery. He talks a lot about giving up our old, bad habits. Jack’s wife didn’t really know that he drank until he came home sober one night. He goes on to share many stories about how Alcoholics Anonymous affected his life in many positive ways.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 79 Minutes
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JACK BRENNAN - GANGSTER & ALCOHOLIC (2 CDs)
Jack Brennan was a tough kid from a large Irish family in New York City. On this recording, he talks about his experiences with booze and crime. Jack was a “real alcoholic” and defiant to the end. He tells about his long, hard, downhill slide into absolute dependence on alcohol and the eventual trouble it got him into. At first, Jack fought Alcoholics Anonymous. When he realized he was beaten by this disease, he finally surrenders and gets sober. Jack tells about his difficulties in early sobriety. He talks about the rewards of staying sober and developing spirituality. This talk is a real alcoholic horror story but with a very happy ending.
Contents - 18 Tracks
Length - 89 Minutes
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JACK CORDERMAN - COLUMBUS, OH 4-1-06
Jack, from Hagerstown, Maryland recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Spring Fling in Columbus, Ohio on April 1st, 2006. Jack says that his father was an alcoholic. His father promised Jack that he would stop drinking and when he got drunk again the next day Jack lost all faith in God. Jack had quite a career in the legal profession. At one point in his life, he was a judge. In 1989, Jack received a pipe bomb in the mail and was severely injured. The Serenity Prayer, which was the one thing he held onto from his short time in AA at that time, got him through the ordeal. Jack says he finally reached a point in his life when he realized his problem was Simply How I Think – SHIT. A Great, energetic talk.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 73 Minutes
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JACK CORDERMAN 6-14-07
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 - 13 Tracks
Length - 62 Minutes
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JACK DEMPSEY - HUBBARD, OH 1-29-76
To distinguish himself from the famous boxer, Jack says, “I’m a Drinker not a Fighter.” Jack, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Hubbard, Ohio 28th Anniversary on January 29th, 1976. He says he always felt different growing up; did not get along with his step father at all. When Jack finally discovered drinking, it took all his negative feelings away. Jack goes on to share some delirious stories of drunkenness. He talks about making amends and how people’s reactions were much different than he thought they would be. This is a very good talk by a very energetic speaker.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 54 Minutes
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JACK DEMPSEY - MARIETTA, OH 7-17-98
Jack recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 11th Annual Meeting on the River Conference in Marietta, Ohio on July 17th, 1998. Jack begins his talk by saying, “My name is Jack Dempsey. I’m a drunk not a fighter.” He says, “I’m gonna tell you about my alcoholism. That’s a nasty subject and every once in a while it calls for a spicy swear word.” Jack was a problem child and was always getting into trouble in school. His stepfather used to really beat him up. Jack had his last drink on April 18th, 1970. Jack had extreme problems understanding Step One of the AA program. He goes on to give a great AA talk and ends the talk by saying, “I am really grateful. Thanks and God bless you."
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 66 Minutes
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JACK DEMPSEY - MARIETTA, OH JULY 2003
Jack recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the sixteenth annual Meeting on the River Conference in Marietta, Ohio in July of 2003. This is at least the second time Jack has spoken at this conference and you can tell by the way he talks and the humor he interjects in his story that he is very relaxed in front of the crowd. He says he had a tough time during childhood. His father was married five times and his mother tended to over protect him. He knew way back then that he was feeling restless, irritable and discontented. Jack’s talk is full of humor and optimism for the future.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 53 Minutes
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JACK P - OXNARD, CA 9-13-93
Oldtimer Jack P of North Hollywood, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Oxnard, California on September 13th, 1993. At the time this recording was made, Jack had been sober for 46 years. His date of sobriety is September 16th, 1946. While still drinking, Jack ran a beer joint in Hollywood, California. He resisted joining AA at first because he was convinced it was a religious organization. After finally joining up, he went to a meeting every night for six years. Early on in his sobriety, Jack teamed up with Wynn Laws, the woman who wrote the Big Book Story called, “Freedom from Bondage.” Together they spread the AA message throughout many jails and institutions in southern California.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 67 Minutes
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JACK SLATER - RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH 4-26-92
Jack, from Kettering, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Freeway Breakfast Group in Richmond Heights, Ohio on April 26th, 1992. Jack says he grew up in a good Christian home. He started sipping on drinks left over from his parent’s parties the night before. Jack describes in vivid detail how he hit bottom in front of his entire family and friends. Jack came into AA in February of 1962. He does a good job sharing his story of recovery and at the end of his talk, Jack reads a small quotation from the Big Book.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 54 Minutes
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JACK SULLIVAN - EUCLID, OH 9-1-95
Jack, from Louisville, Kentucky recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 29th anniversary of the Sister Ignatia Group in Euclid, Ohio on September 1st, 1995. Jack states that his sobriety date is August 21st, 1962. He begins his talk by paying homage to the AA founders and the other AA old timers, like Sister Ignatia, Dr Bob and particularly Wino Joe Leath. Jack was a friend of Wino Joes and really appreciated his simplistic style of the AA program. Jack also mentions his friend and old-timer, Paul Kiebler from St Louis, Missouri. Jack’s drinking began at age 16 while working at a gas station. He devised a plan to trade gasoline for whiskey. He was offered a scholarship and a job by a big shot at General Motors but he turned it down. Jack wanted to party. When Jack was at his lowest point, he was introduced to AA by a friend of his father. When Jack was seven years sober, his father died. His father told him to thank the people at AA because they’ve done a great job with him. Jack ends his talk with a short but poignant story about drinking.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 74 Minutes
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JACK SULLIVAN - MARIETTA, OH JULY 1995
Jack Sullivan, from Louisville, Kentucky made this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Meeting on the River VIII in Marietta, Ohio in July of 1995. His sobriety date is August 21st, 1962. In this talk Jack says he never got along well with his father and never had a kind word for him. He was on skid row in Louisville the last year and a half of his drinking. Jack says he had trouble when he first joined AA because he was not the type who wanted to learn anything from others; he wanted to do everything himself. Because Jack has been in the program for a long time, he has acquired a great deal of knowledge about AA and he shares that in this fine talk.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 69 Minutes
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JACK WAGNER - LEXINGTON, KY 2-9-72
Jack, from Cleveland, Ohio gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 21st Kentucky State Conference in Lexington, Kentucky on February 9th, 1972. Jack is a fairly tentative speaker; he takes his time and thinks about what he’s going to say. He says that this is the first conference he’s every attended, let alone speak at. He took his last drink on October 12th, 1962. Jack had a lot of drinking consequences; car crashes, DUIs, etc. He also ended up in a mental hospital for a couple of months. Jack attended his first AA meeting in 1959. He then went to a meeting every night and Rosary Hall every weekend. Jack closes his talk with his favorite prayer, “God help us to stay sober and have mercy on all drunks.”
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 58 Minutes
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JAMES L - OMAHA, NE 11-26-93
James, from Casco, Maine delivered this AA talk in Omaha, Nebraska on November 26th, 1993. James says that the only thing he ever wanted to do in his 25 year drinking career was learn how to drink safely. He never did it. He was arrested 17 times and was drunk every single time. James began drinking alcoholically at age 11. By age 15 he was living in a bowling alley and blacking out regularly. James pulled at least eight armed robberies with his unaware girlfriend serving as the getaway driver. He’s got a good story of recovery as well as his great drinking stories.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 57 Minutes
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JAY PLUMBACK - GRAFTON, ILLINOIS 11-6-92
Jay, from Mount Airy, North Carolina recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 2nd Great River Roundup in Grafton, Illinois on November 6th, 1992. Jay’s sobriety date is March 8th, 1974. His home group is the Mayberry Group in Mount Airy. He grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area. His father always had a drink in his hand. By the age of eight, Jay had been labeled as incorrigible. He talks frequently about having that feeling of IMPENDING DOOM and about how blackouts became a regular thing. As a young adult, Jay found out that his father had joined AA and had been under the care of Sister Ignatia at Rosary Hall in Cleveland. Jay himself finally joined AA and he talks about his father turning him over to the successful old-timers in Cleveland.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 75 Minutes
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JAY PLUMBACK - LAUGHLIN, NV 1-18-02
Jay, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina made this Alcoholics Anonymous recording at the River Roundup in Laughlin, Nevada on January 18th, 2002. Jay has a great, soothing voice. His father was an alcoholic who eventually got sober, as Jay did, in the AA rooms of Cleveland, Ohio. Jay drank the hard stuff at an early age - Thunderbird. He talks quite a bit about taking his inventory. Jay had trouble with the prayer until his sponsor advised his to do it no matter how awkward it was for him. It worked. Jay talks very emotionally about the deaths of his father, mother and wife and that it was only the AA fellowship and principles that got him though those tough ordeals. Really good talk.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 64 Minutes
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JIM DONEY - 4-23-78
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 - 13 Tracks
Length - 65 Minutes
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JIM DONEY - MIAMI, FL AUGUST 1970
Jim, a newscaster from Cleveland, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 26th Southeastern AA Conference in Miami, Florida in August of 1970. He begins this talk by sharing quite a few of the funny things that happened while on the air due to drinking. Jim says he was always looking for the happy medium with his alcohol consumption; before he went on the air he needed to drink enough to stop his hands from shaking but not so much that he was slurring his words. He was frequently spotted on the floor of Cleveland restaurants and bars with people recognizing him as they stepped over him. At channel eight in Cleveland, everyone referred to him as the Station Lush. He finally checked in to Rosary Hall under the care of Sister Ignatia. He disliked the treatment and the rules so much that he nearly reported Sister Ignatia to the Better Business Bureau. Jim’s got a great story of recovery in this very enjoyable AA talk.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 72 Minutes
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JIMI Z - GRAND ISLAND, NC 6-5-99
Jimi, from Omaha, Nebraska recorded this talk in Grand Island, North Carolina on June 5th, 1995. Jimi has a humorous way of telling his story. He describes himself as the, “Mexican Eddie Haskell,” his own mother felt that other kids shouldn’t be playing with him. He was a big guzzler of Schlitz Malt Liquor because it would make his cheeks glow. Jimi joined the marines, got married, had four kids, and in 1969 his family had an intervention for him and sent him to a treatment center. He kept drinking and tried to commit suicide but ran out of gas as his car was running in the garage. Toward the end of his talk, Jimi shares what he calls, “Jimi’s ABC’s of Alcoholics Anonymous.” It’s a great alphabetical list, letter-by-letter about the things we need to remember in the AA program.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 52 Minutes
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JIMMIE MARINO - LAKE MILTON, OH AUGUST 2003
Jimmie, from Florida gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the last minute. He did not know he was going to be speaking. He definitely speaks from the heart. Jimmie’s date of sobriety is August 26th, 1981. He grew up in Milford, Connecticut. His father pretty much kicked him out of the house at age 17. Jimmie joined the marines. He got into a heck of a lot of legal trouble because of his drinking. He spent many years in prison. Jimmie had a real problem controlling his anger and torched his girlfriend’s beauty shop in Florida. After joining up with AA in Florida, Jimmie got to know Clarence and Grace Snyder very well and participated in their retreats. Jimmie very vividly and emotionally describes being at his mother’s bedside when she took her last breath. All she ever wanted was to see Jimmie get sober.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 53 Minutes
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JIMMY T - HARVEY, IL 2-7-93
Jimmy T, from Bartow, Florida recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Harvey, Illinois on February 7th, 1993. His sobriety date is July 1st, 1985. Jimmy grew up in Brooklyn, New York and still has his accent. His father was an alcoholic. Jimmy was kicked out of the Navy because of his drinking. He’s been in many, many treatment centers over the years. One day Jimmy decided to get down on his knees and pray and at that point things began to change for him. Jimmy speaks very emotionally about a younger brother that was drinking and drugging; he went to jail, got AIDS, and was stabbed and killed by his drug dealer.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 56 Minutes
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JOE ANESHANSEL - ST LOUIS, MO 11-2-91
Joe, from Cincinnati, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in St Louis, Missouri on November 2nd, 1991. His date of sobriety is April 5th, 1978. Joe’s got a good story. His mother has been sober in AA for 20 years. His brother has been sober for seven years in the Ohio Penitentiary. His father has never found sobriety. Joe says that his entire life has been based on self-centered fear. He used every kind of drug imaginable while in his teens in an effort to avoid his father’s footsteps. Joe eventually turned to alcohol anyway. He was eventually introduced to AA by his mom. Interesting story.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 62 Minutes
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JOE HAWK - BERNARDSVILLE, NJ 12-17-02
On this Alcoholics Anonymous recording, Joe Hawk, from Santa Monica, California speaks at The Spiritual Awakenings Group in Bernardsville, New Jersey on December 17th, 2002. Joe gives his sobriety date as August 17th, 1982. Joe considers himself “recovered” from alcoholism but not “cured.” He had a spiritual malady long before he ever took a drink of alcohol. He said that after many years of drinking, alcohol became his drug of, “No Choice.” For quite a while, Joe blamed his alcoholism on the fact that his father was 60 years old when Joe was born. Joe learned how to become a chameleon during his three years in the penitentiary; he could speak to anyone on their own level. This is a good solid talk by a great speaker.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 70 Minutes
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JOE HAWK - LOS ANGELES, CA 11-14-90
Joe, from Santa Monica, California delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Pacific Group in Los Angeles on November 14th, 1990. Joe says that he always felt a little different from other people. He was always waiting for the spaceship to land and the little green men to take him back to the planet he was supposed to be living on. After getting sober, Joe learned that his alcoholism didn’t stop just because he quit drinking. He speaks about how annoying and how difficult it was for him to understand those AA slogans in his early sobriety. At the end of this talk, Joe borrows from Sandy Beach and does his own version of, “Drop the Rock.” Joe uses an anvil analogy instead of the rock, but it works just as well.
Contents – 8 Tracks
Length – 39 Minutes
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JOE HAWK - SAN DIEGO, CA 1-5-92
Joe, from Santa Monica, CA recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in San Diego, California on January 5th, 1992. Joe was sober for over nine years when he made this talk. He makes some very interesting points about alcoholism. On the topic of insanity, he says that the real insanity is not what we do while drinking, the real insanity is picking up a drink again after a period of sobriety. Joe gives a very powerful and inspiring talk on this recording.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 60 Minutes
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JOE PHELAN - JACKSON, MS 8-29-92
We feel that this is one of the better AA talks we’ve heard. Long time member, Joe Phelan from Atlanta, Georgia recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Old Timers Round-up in Jackson, Mississippi on August 29th, 1992. Joe has been sober since March the 1st, 1949. He’s very enthusiastic about AA as a whole; he believes it to be in magnificent shape. Joes says that he was the oldest of six children and his family was very well-off financially. Unfortunately his mother spent many, many years in mental hospitals. Joe had his first taste of alcohol at age 15 while on a camping trip with some friends. He fell in love with it and became a morning drinker the very next day. Joe talks about how drinking screwed up his military career and his marriage. He eventually was reduced to living on the streets of South Boston. That’s when he hit his bottom. His younger brother rescued him and took him to a hospital. Joe tells how he came into contact with AA, worked through he first five steps, and got back on his feet in the financial business. Joe eventually got very involved in AA service work and became the first trustee from the state of Georgia. He tells of much pain he endured in sobriety and the deaths of several family members. Joe says, “One of the most important parts in my life and in recovery is learning how to forgive and how to accept forgiveness."
Contents -12 Tracks
Length - 61 Minutes
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JOE S - HUBBARD, OH 4-16-75
Joe, born and raised in Struthers, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Hubbard, Ohio on April 16th, 1975. He began drinking at age 21. Joe got married, but married life was very tough because of his drinking. When his wife finally threatened to divorce him, Joe actually quit his job so he would have no money to drink. He goes on to tell his story of recovery in the rooms of AA. Today, Joe is very grateful for the old timers that were around when he came in to the program.
Contents - 9 Tracks
Length - 45 Minutes
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JOHN ACKERLUND - ALBANY, OR 6-28-80
John is from Laguna Beach, California. John is originally from Sweden and has a very slight accent. He had over 17 years of sobriety when he made this recording and says that those 17 years have been the best in his life. He does use some profanity at the beginning of this talk although he says he’s very much against it. John says that his last year of drinking was like being in hell. It was only after losing all of his sympathetic friends that he realized he must do something about his drinking. John also tells about how difficult it was to get rid of some deep seated resentments against his older brother. Even though John talks about some serious issues, he very often has the crowd roaring with laughter.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 76 Minutes
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JOHN AKERLUND - JEKYLL ISLAND, GA 9-5-86
John, from Laguna Beach, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 8th Serenity Weekend in Jekyll Island, Georgia on September 5th, 1986. John had 24 years of sobriety at the time. He tells how both his grandfather and his father died from alcoholism. John himself didn’t begin drinking until age 31. The beginning of this talk has lots of humor as John relates stories about his drinking and theories about life. Later on, he gets more serious as he talks about resentments and emotional maturity. Good, solid AA talk.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 73 Minutes
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JOHN ALLRED - COLLEGE STATION, TX 8-5-06
John, from Dallas, Texas delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 20th Aggieland Convention in College Station, Texas on August 5th, 2006. Lots of humor in this talk. John says he's got no legitimate excuse to be an alcoholic since no one else in his family drank. He explains in detail, his first drunk which was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Within three weeks, John was drinking in the mornings. He talks very humorously about diagnosing his own alcoholism. John tells a very funny story about coming out of a blackout while being questioned by a cop. He tells about seeing the movie, I'll Quit Tomorrow while in a treatment center and how this helped him reach his moment of clarity. "I am an alcoholic, not because I drank too much, I'm an alcoholic because I couldn't drink enough." John gets serious near the end of this recording. He tells about some personal problems he's having, but knowing that his faith in a higher power can get him through them.
Contents - 15 Tracks
Length - 73 Minutes
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JOHN CALLAHAN - RICHFIELD, OH OCTOBER 2006
John, from Cincinnati, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 2nd Annual Greater Cleveland Conference in Richfield, Ohio in October of 2006. John had been sober for 14 years at the time of this recording. He was raised in a religious family. At age 10 he stole a bottle of whiskey from his father and at that point had found his new god. John says it was the laughter in the rooms of AA that originally attracted him. After being sober in AA for seven years, and working as an alcoholism counselor, John got drunk again. When the going got really tough for John, he kept playing a Norm Alpi tape over and over again. John met his wife in a halfway house for women who wouldn’t go all the way. Even though there’s a lot of humor in this talk, John also gets quite emotional at times.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 57 Minutes
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JOHN MARSHALL - CANTON, OH
This old talk was recorded by Alcoholics Anonymous member, John Marshall from Canton, Ohio at the St John’s Group in Canton, Ohio. John arrived in Canton in 1954. By then he already had several years of heavy drinking under his belt. He “played around” in AA for a few years but in August of 1958 he got serious about it. John says he believes his life is a miracle; he was once dead, but now because of AA, he’s alive. He considers AA to be a workshop for him; he has learned to work on patience and tolerance. John goes over the twelve rewards of the Alcoholics Anonymous program.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 56 Minutes
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JOHN SCOTT - MITCHELL, SD 5-14-93
John, from Billings, Montana recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Mitchell, South Dakota on May 14th, 1993. The last time John had any alcohol was December 18th, 1982. That was a day like so many other days, filled with terror. John grew up working for the family business and he took advantage of that; stayed drunk almost all the time. He finally got to the point where he felt he didn't deserve to live but he also couldn't die. John does a very humorous comparison about being allergic to Alcohol vs. being allergic to Apples. He tells about the very emotional amends he made to his grandmother who he had treated very poorly during his drinking years. John also talks about the importance of going on twelfth step calls.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 65 Minutes
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JOHN SCOTT - WISCONSIN 7-26-02
John recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 5th Chippewa Valley Roundup in Wisconsin on July 26th, 2002. John is from Billings, Montana. He says that in his younger years he always felt awkward and never fit in. That changed when he had his first drink. John became a rancher in the 1960s but he gave that up to pursue a career as a "Rock Star." That didn't work out and he went back to being a cowboy. John's continued drinking was causing a real strain on his marriage. A friend mentioned AA but John wanted no part of it and went on a six month long bender, losing a little piece of himself everyday. He finally surrendered and went to AA where he did feel a slight spark of hope. One of the best lessons John has learned from his years of involvement with AA, is that the more time he spends with others who need help, the less time he focuses on his own problems.
Contents - 12 Tracks
Length - 61 Minutes
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JULIAN BAUSERMAN - CLEVELAND, OH 5-1-76
Julian Bauserman from Luray, Virginia is a very funny man. He recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk way back on May 1st, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been an active member of AA since August of 1947. Julian grew up drinking moonshine. He was present at Dr Bob’s last talk and was very inspired by Dr Bob’s advice to, “Keep it Simple.” Julian has a great story of recovery from alcoholism and he mixes in a lot of his homespun humor as he tells it.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 55 Minutes
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KEITH DRUM - AUSTIN, MN 10-15-04
Keith, from Yorba Linda, California gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 16th annual Hiawatha Land Get-Together in Austin, MN on October 15th, 2004. Keith has been sober since May of 1976. He was reared in Oklahoma, “Where the men are men and the sheep run scared.” While going to get some beer, Keith had a hit-and-run accident at the age of 12. He was incarcerated for several years because of that incident. At one point Keith’s drinking got so bad that they preformed shock treatments on him, but they did no good. Keith says he once came out of a blackout in the middle of an AA meeting and it scared the hell out of him. He wanted to leave the meeting but he didn’t know who had brought him. Keith’s got a great, often humorous story of recovery; well worth listening to.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 65 Minutes
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KEITH DRUM - MARIETTA, OH JULY 1997
Keith, from Yorba Linda, California gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 10th annual Meeting on the River Weekend in Marietta, Ohio in July of 1997. Keith gives his sobriety date as May 11th, 1976. He grew up in a family that was just “Riddled with alcoholism.” Keith had his first drink at age six and said the experience was wonderful. He spent the next few decades trying to replicate that same feeling but never was able to. At age 36, Keith was locked up in a psychiatric hospital and was under the care of Big Book Story author, Dr Paul Ohliger. Keith speaks very fondly of his daughter who now lives in Italy. They had not spoken until Keith was sober for eight years. Now she is very active in Al Anon in Italy. Keith has a great way of delivering his AA message and at the end of this talk says, “I love you. Not for what you are individually but for what I am when I’m with you.”
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 75 Minutes
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KEITH LEWIS - COLUMBUS, OH APRIL 2006
Keith is from Ocala, Florida. His sobriety date is May 13th, 1973. Keith says it’s always a privilege to speak in Ohio because he was born here and Alcoholics Anonymous was born here as well. He was the oldest son in a family of ten children. Keith got drunk on his way to being inducted into the Marines. He did very well in the service and wanted to make it his career but after leading a platoon into battle in a complete blackout, he decided that being in the Marines was not a good idea. After joining AA in the Washington, DC area he began hanging out with the old timers like Sandy Beach and Buck Doyle. After several years of sobriety, Keith ran into a moral dilemma at his job. He had to quit a job that he loved only to be well rewarded for his actions at a later time. Keith tells an inspiring story of his brother dying from alcoholism but finding spirituality in the last few months of his life. Keith actually shares several heart-wrenching stories of sobriety and spirituality in this talk.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 58 Minutes
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KEN DEVANEY - ADDISON, TX 4-23-89
Ken, from La Mesa, California recorded this AA talk at the Second Anniversary of the Addison Group in Addison, Texas. This is definitely one of his funnier as well as inspirational talks. Ken believes that there are not any normal people in the world, there are just those who haven’t shared yet. “What we do here in AA, is love people until they are capable of loving themselves.” “We here in AA are not bad people trying to become good, we’re sick people trying to get well.” Ken wraps up his talk by saying, “Here in AA, we bring you to the edge, we push you off and then the Master helps you fly. Take real good care of each other, God bless you and have a good flight.”
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 68 Minutes
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KEN DEVANEY - OMAHA, NE 7-1-89
Ken gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 4th Pockets of Enthusiasm Roundup in Omaha, Nebraska on July 1st, 1989. Ken is from La Mesa, California. The crowd really loves this guy; they roar every time he makes a joke. Ken had 19 years of sobriety at the time he made this recording. Someone once asked Ken if he believed in miracles. He said, “This is AA, we rely on them.” At the end of this talk, Ken reads a very powerful Irish poem titled, “Come Down to the Edge.”
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 63 Minutes
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KEN DEVANEY - TAMPA, FL 8-30-91
Ken, from La Mesa, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 5th Tampa Bay Fall Roundup in Tampa, Florida on August 30th, 1991. Ken lost his father to alcoholism when he was very young. When Ken first came into AA, he was in pretty bad shape; he was on his way to jail, he had been a thief, his wife and children had moved out of state, and he was living with his mother at a senior citizens home. Ken reflects back on when he first came into AA and his sponsor took him on several twelfth step calls. It made quite an impression on him. Over the years, Ken has lost eleven family members to alcoholism and not one living family member is sober today. Although he has had his share of problems, this is a very upbeat and humorous talk by Ken.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 61 Minutes
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KEN DEVANEY - TORRANCE, CA 7-6-2002
Ken, from Aztec, New Mexico, delivered this AA talk at the South Bay Roundup in Torrance, California on July 6th, 2002. At the time, Ken had 32 years of sobriety. This is one of the best Alcoholics Anonymous talks we've heard. Ken is really on fire. The talk is full of humor and AA wisdom. He really has a good time being in AA. He says that if anyone tells you something that cannot be reconciled in either the Big Book or the Twelve & Twelve, it's not true. To sum up, this talk is excellent, excellent, excellent.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 70 Minutes
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KENNY KING - CLEVELAND, OH 12-30-70
Kenny, from the Cleveland area, recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the West Side Morning Group in Cleveland, Ohio on December 30th, 1970. Kenny entered AA on St Patrick’s Day in 1942. When he was still drinking, he would occasionally go to New York City and spend some time in the Bowery; he figured he was going to end up there anyway and he wanted to ease into that lifestyle. A colleague of Kenny’s was the first to tell him about AA. Kenny’s very first meeting was at the Borton Group. He had a couple of slips in early sobriety but now feels that those work to his advantage.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 51 Minutes
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KENT COLEMAN - LAKE MILTON, OH 8-11-06
Kent, from Sandusky, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Lake Milton, Ohio on August 11th, 2006. His sponsor is AA old-timer, Bill Findley from Lorain, Ohio. Kent says that he felt like he was stumbling around in darkness until the first time he tried alcohol and the feeling was immediately magic. As Kent’s drinking progressed, he kept changing his definition of an alcoholic so that it wouldn’t fit him. He once came out of a blackout in a Toledo bar; pointing a gun at someone he didn’t know. Kent had his last drink in the parking lot of an alcohol treatment center on May 17th, 1992. He says you’ve got to be active in AA; sitting in a chicken coop don’t make you no chicken. Kent is a high energy and inspirational speaker.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 77 Minutes
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KENT COLEMAN - RICHFIELD, OH OCTOBER 2006
Kent, from Sandusky, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 2nd Annual Greater Cleveland Conference in Richfield, Ohio in October of 2006. Kent tells how he practices the principles in his daily life. He says that having a sponsor is like a guiding light; they are the power of example. When Kent began his drinking, that first drink made him bigger and other people smaller. When he came to Alcoholics Anonymous he was depressed and drinking wouldn’t work anymore. He just didn't care. In an abbreviated form, Kent shares what the steps mean to him. He's grateful to be in the stream of life now, which is a spiritual program, God doesn't fail, and God could and would if we will seek Him.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 63 Minutes
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KIP COLLINS - JACKSON MS - 1998
Kip Collins, from Vista, California delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 12th Annual Mississippi Old Timers Roundup in Jackson, Mississippi in 1998. Kip’s date of sobriety is May 12th, 1984. He has such a dark story before entering the rooms of AA that it’s rough listening to for a while. But what a change his recovery has made in his life! There is some great humor in his tale also. His first job in recovery was on a fishing boat. It’s hilarious how he thought a local pelican was his Higher Power watching over him – a real laugh out loud moment. All in all, it’s one of the best talks we’ve ever heard. Review written by Michael C of Charlotte, NC.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 78 Minutes
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LARRY ADAMS - RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH 12-29-96
Larry, from Louisville, Kentucky recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Freeway Breakfast Group in Richmond Heights, Ohio on December 29th, 1996. Larry’s sobriety date is November 7th, 1978. He begins his talk by telling some very funny alcoholic jokes. Larry was raised in an alcoholic family of nine brothers. He ended up in the state penitentiary. Larry tells how great he felt after finally taking his fifth step with his sponsor. At the very end of this talk, Larry reads a very inspiring poem about choosing the path between heaven and hell.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 65 Minutes
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LARRY VAN DUSEN - DAYTON, OH MARCH 2001
Larry, from Strongsville, Ohio gives an excellent talk at the Miami Valley Winter Conference in Dayton, Ohio in March of 2001. His sobriety date is November 11th, 1975.
Contents - 12 Tracks
Length - 60 Minutes
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LEE PERKINS - CLEVELAND, OH 5-24-98
Lee Perkins from Cleveland, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 52nd Memorial Breakfast in Cleveland, Ohio on May 24th, 1998. Lee was 62 years of age at the time of this talk. He drank only for nine and a half years. Lee’s date of sobriety is November 26th, 1961. He humorously recalls that because he was late for an AA meeting in his early sobriety, he was assigned cup washing duty. He washed cups for nine years and loved every minute of it. Lee talks about a lot of the local Cleveland old-timers and how they helped him in early sobriety. He ends his talk by reading a very touching poem to his sponsor who has passed on.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 69 Minutes
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LEW FINAMORE - SACRAMENTO, CA 2-15-03
Lew Finamore, from Chilliwack, British Columbia recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Sacramento Spring Fling in Sacramento, California on February 15th, 2003. He got sober way back on November 16th, 1963 at the age of 28. Lew is an excellent storyteller, and he shares several of those stories on this recording. He was sponsored by Wino Joe Leath of Tyler, Texas. Lew has done a lot of worldwide traveling speaking at AA functions. He tells a couple of stories about going to South Africa and New Zealand. Lew also goes over the Twelve Steps. A really good talk.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 77 Minutes
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LOU PAIL - RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH 2-28-93
Lou, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Freeway Breakfast Group in Richmond heights, Ohio on February 28th, 1993. Lou was raised in an alcoholic home. His mother died at age 54 from a bad batch of Canned Heat. When Lou finally came into the rooms of AA, he was entirely, “Used Up” mentally and physically. He feels that this is the best way to enter the AA program, when you’ve got nothing left to lose. He says that the only time “Backsliding” occurs, is when you neglect your spiritual life. Lou has got an interesting story that many people can relate to.
Contents – 9 Tracks
Length – 45 Minutes
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