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ALABAM CARRUTHERS - WACO, TX 5-4-90
Evelyn “Alabam” Carruthers, from Hollywood, California delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 6th Heart of Texas Roundup in Waco, Texas on May 4th, 1990. At the time of this recording, Alabam was sober for 37 ½ years. She began her drinking career at age 16 and over the years, drank a lot of whiskey, did not sleep properly, and did not eat properly. Many times, Alabam woke up in hotel rooms in different cities and had no idea where she was or had she had gotten there. Alabam says she was in a deeply “maniacal” condition when she finally tried to sober up. She shares a few humorous stories about going on twelfth step calls. Alabam finishes her talk by saying, “Every day of sobriety gets better and better and better, and if it keeps getting much better, I don’t know that I can stand it.”
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 58 Minutes
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ANGIE DILL - BRENTWOOD, CA 3-4-98
Angie, from Blythe, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Pacific Group in Brentwood, California on March 4th, 1998. She has been sober since December 22nd, 1975. Angie says that she was always breaking the rules as a kid. When she was growing up she believed there was something wrong with her that didn’t seem to be wrong with other people. Angie grew up, “In a family of Grape-Pickers” and it didn’t take her long to fall in love with Gallo wine. Her drinking eventually took her so low that she just wanted to die. After joining up with AA, Angie had a lot of trouble trusting in a higher power. She got great inspiration from Johnny Harris and her sponsor, Mary Reagan. Angie says that today, she often likes to attend meetings where nobody knows her and just sit and listen to, “The Music of AA.”
Contents – 7 Tracks
Length – 35 Minutes
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ANN PARENT - VANCOUVER, WA 9-10-94
Ann, from Westminster, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Wayfarer’s Speaker Meeting in Vancouver, Washington on September 10th, 1994. She had 26 years of sobriety at the time. Ann spent the first 17 years of her life in Ireland and still has a slight accent. She believes that alcohol actually saved her life because she had extreme anger issues from her childhood. She had problems with the strict discipline from the nuns in her grade school. Because of this, she left school at age 13. In later years, when her drinking was at its worse, she ended up on skid row, “Dying a Thousand Deaths.” Ann entered into AA at age 25. Her husband began drinking when Ann was sober for 11 years so Ann had to get out of the marriage to protect her own sobriety. Ann says, “You don’t have to be Irish to be a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, but it helps.”
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 67 Minutes
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BECKY MERMAN - COLUMBUS, OH 4-1-06
Becky gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 13th Annual Columbus, Ohio Spring Roundup on April 1st, 2006. Becky’s sobriety date is December 13th, 1982. She grew up in Counsel Bluffs, Iowa and comes from a long line of alcoholics. Becky’s grandfather died of alcoholism. Becky began drinking at age 16. Her heavy drinking eventually led Becky into intravenous drug use. She got so bad that her boss had an intervention for her. Becky tells how she reluctantly went to a treatment center and how they took her through the first five steps. Becky gets emotional when she talks about her sponsor attaining 30 years of sobriety. This is a very honest and heartfelt AA talk.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 56 Minutes
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BETH GORDON - HAGERSTOWN, MD 10-26-00
Beth gives an absolutely excellent Alcoholics Anonymous talk. Beth tells of her rough childhood. Her father, an alcoholic, was murdered at age 24 in a speakeasy when her mother was 3 months pregnant with her. Her adult life was no easier. She got a total of 9 DUIs and smacked a sheriff’s deputy over the head with her wine bottle. She tells a very sad story of her young daughter dying while she was too drunk to help her. Beth also lost a second child because she was drinking during pregnancy. Beth then tells a very humorous story of going on her first 12 step call. A really great and inspiring talk.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 76 Minutes
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BETH MARKIEWICS - RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH 7-30-89
Beth, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania recorded the Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Freeway Breakfast Group in Richmond Heights, Ohio on July 30th, 1989. Beth says she did not come from an alcoholic home. From the very first time Beth tried alcohol, she says she always got sick and always blacked out but kept on drinking anyway. Beth was part of a rock group and she was never on stage without being drunk. She ended up living in a house full of drug addicts in Florida; she was the only alcoholic. Beth has a great story of eventual recovery from alcoholism and a great way of telling it in this recording.
Contents – 11
Tracks Length – 52 Minutes
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BETTY SMITH - AMES, IA 3-25-95
Betty is the daughter-in-law of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder, Dr Bob Smith. In this talk recorded in Ames, Iowa Betty talks about meeting her future husband, Robert Smith Jr and his parents. She tells about her love and admiration for both Dr Bob and his wife Anne. Betty explains how after attending a meeting at Kings School she congratulated Dr Bob on what a fine fellowship he had helped found and how Dr Bob immediately told her that he was merely an instrument and that God was AAs real founder. Besides her connection with the Smiths she is also the daughter of the man who pioneered AA in New Mexico. She briefly tells how her Dad got sober. Then she begins talking about her own drinking and how she found skid row on the living room sofa. She tells of Smitty’s denial about her alcoholism. Betty talks about how she finally bottomed out and joined AA. She speaks of the need for constant spiritual growth by keeping it fresh.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 41 Minutes
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BEVERLY McGOWAN - CLEVELAND, OH 1971
Beverly was a New York City area AA member who was a member of the Manhattan Group and attended meetings when Bill Wilson was still alive. She tells the horror story of her drinking with a very strong Brooklyn accent. Her recovery was as rewarding and miraculous as her drinking was horrendous. Beverly was the feature speaker at this AA event and did a great job. She shares a very well told AA recovery message.
Contents - 7 Tracks
Length - 36 Minutes
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CAROL RUTH - KIRTLAND, OH 5-10-01
Carol recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous Talk at the Kirtland Breakfast Group in Kirtland, Ohio on May 10th, 2001. Her sobriety date is October 25th, 1978 and she was sober for 22 years at the time of this talk. Carol says she found out early in her drinking career that when she drank the harder liquor she tended to become angry and belligerent. As a result, she tried to stick with mostly beer. She had never experienced blackouts until the end of her drinking and at that time she could easily blackout after drinking only two beers. When her husband found out she was going to AA meetings, he forbade her to go to any more. He was convinced it was some kind of cult. This is a very good talk by a long-time member.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 59 Minutes
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CHRIS ARTHUR - MARIETTA, OH JULY 1998
Chris, from Coshocton, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 11th annual Meeting on the River event in Marietta, Ohio in July of 1998. At the very beginning of this talk, Chris reads a poem that she had written when she was only six months sober. Chris says she always gets nervous when she talks because she fears that a forgotten former husband of hers may appear in the crowd. Her first taste of alcohol was at age four when her parents gave her alcohol to help her go to sleep. She first got drunk at age 14. Chris says she once went five years without drinking and without AA and it was “without a doubt” the worse five years of her life. She ended up in a hospital psychiatric ward. She eventually found the rooms of AA and she shares how her life has changed for the better from that time on.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 74 Minutes
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CHRIS M - NEW LONDON, OH JUNE 2006
Chris, From Strongsville, Ohio, recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 24th New London Campout in New London, Ohio in June of 2006. October 22nd, 1980 is her sobriety date. She grew up in Kansas City in a family of 10 kids in an atmosphere of very heavy drinking. Chris says during her drinking career, she wrecked every car she ever owned. When she eventually joined AA it took her a solid two years before she built up any sobriety. Chris’ AA mantra today is, “Say Please in the Morning, Say Thank You at Night, Don’t Take a Drink, and Go to a Meeting.”
Contents – 8 Tracks
Length – 36 Minutes
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DEBBIE G - BRENTWOOD, CA 3-6-02
Debbie recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Pacific Group in Brentwood, California on March 6th, 2002. Her date of sobriety is June 1st, 1985. Debbie, a sponsee of Dr Paul Ohliger, is a very upbeat speaker and very enthused about being an AA member. There was a lot of alcoholism in her family and she started drinking as a fairly young child. Her alcoholism eventually made her lose everything; not material things but she was empty on the inside. She describes her moment of clarity. Because of her extreme shyness when she first entered AA, her home group in Carlsbad, California made her the Group Greeter with exposed he to a lot of people. Debbie found out years later that her grandfather was an early member of AA and he knew both Bill Wilson and Dr Bob. She talks very fondly about visiting her family back in Ohio and being able to go to Dr Bob’s House in Akron. Very enjoyable talk.
Contents – 7 Tracks
Length – 36 Minutes
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DEBRA PASS - RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH 8-25-96
Debra recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Freeway Breakfast group in Richmond Heights, Ohio on August 25th, 1986. Debra a streetwise woman from Columbus, Ohio says it was her ego, pride and lack of humility that kept her drinking for many years. She says that alcohol was “magic” for her right from the start. Very often Debra would wake up and not know what she had done or who she was with the night before. She tried a couple of geographical cures but they didn’t have any effect on her alcohol consumption. Debra finally got sober on September 26th, 1986 and life has been totally different for her since.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 62 Minutes
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DIANA H - HUBBARD, OH 5-6-71
Diana H from Youngstown, Ohio recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk on May 6th, 1971 in Hubbard, Ohio. Diana grew up in San Francisco. Her father took her to a bar to celebrate her 15th birthday. That's when she has her first taste of alcohol. She began drinking occasionally right after that. Diana moved up to Alaska where, "The bars were open 24 hours a day." Scotch was her drink of choice. She began drinking at lunch time and was having a blast at this point in her life. Eventually drinking was not as much fun and she began drinking in the morning. By age 21, depression had set in and Diana contemplated suicide. She also tried several geographical cures. A male friend of hers once read her The Serenity Prayer and this inspired the hell out of Diana. She got married and began attending AA meetings but only as a, "Non-Alcoholic Guest." She eventually admitted that she was an alcoholic. Diana goes on to tell a great story of recovery and shares some good advice she received from her sponsor.
Contents - 11 Tracks
Length - 54 Minutes
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DONNA EGAN - GRAND FORKS, ND - MAY 2002
Donna, from Bermuda Dunes, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 19th Northern Spring Roundup in Grand Forks, North Dakota in May of 2002. Donna has been sober since May 5th of 1987. She grew up in an alcoholic home. By age 27, Donna was married, divorced, had five young children, and was tired of being the "good girl." She went to work in the cowboy bars of Red Lodge, Montana. This is where her drinking took off. Donna became a blackout drinker. Alcohol had become her solution not her problem. She eventually went into treatment and into the rooms of AA. She had a lot of trouble with the program until she linked up with an old timer woman who gave her some really great advice. Donna talks about spirituality quite a bit in this talk. She talks emotionally about losing two of her children. Because of a strong connection with her higher power, Donna eventually found peace and serenity.
Contents - 12 Tracks
Length - 61 Minutes
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DOTTIE HARRIS - SAN DIEGO, CA 5-10-87
Dottie, from Lakewood, California recorded this AA talk in San Diego on May 10th, 1987 when she was 24 years sober. This woman is probably the “giggliest” woman to ever share an Alcoholics Anonymous story. She actually had the same giggling problem early in life and would frequently laugh at inappropriate times. Dottie was born and raised in Kansas, a dry state, and there was no alcoholism in her family. When Dottie begins to talk about all the heartache she had in her life, her giggling stops. She goes on to tell a great story of recovery and at the end of her talk she says, “I love being sober and I love being a member of AA!”
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 55 Minutes
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DOTTIE HARRIS - VENTURA, CA 5-8-94
This Alcoholics Anonymous Talk was recorded at the Serenity by the Sea Group in Ventura, California. Dottie is a great speaker. Dottie tells us that she developed a "giggling" problem very early in life and that's very obvious in the talk. She's really fun to listen to. Dottie had 30 years of sobriety on Christmas Day 1993. She indicates that she has many hardships throughout her life both while drinking and in sobriety, but she's able to deal with life's problems much better while sober. Towards the end of her talk, Dottie's attitude turns serious as she expresses her love of sobriety and the love she has for the entire AA program.
Contents - 10 Tracks
Length - 47 Minutes
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EDITH P - COLUMBUS, OH 8-12-05
This Alcoholics Anonymous talk by Edith P was recorded at the 49th Annual Ohio State Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Edith, from Omaha, Nebraska has one heck of a southern drawl. She grew up in Decatur, Alabama in a dry county. She began her drinking career by buying booze from a bootlegger. She loved drinking from the very beginning. Edith and her best friend were once drunk and they had a very bad car accident with a train. She attended Auburn College but was drunk the entire time. Edith says that towards the end of her drinking, she would always end up in the same place; in the hospital AND under arrest. After joining AA and getting some sobriety under her belt, Edith actually became a lawyer. She talks quite a bit about making amends with her father and how difficult that was for her.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 70 Minutes
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EVE MARSH - MIDLAND, TX 1-26-80
Eve has been around Alcoholics Anonymous for a long time. She gives her sobriety date as January 6th, 1945. While growing up, Eve had very strong feelings of inferiority although she was a very smart student who skipped a few grades. Right from the time she took her first drink, she had great hopes of what alcohol was going to do for her. Eve’s family was in the entertainment business and Eve herself eventually became an actress. Eve was married to a man who also drank a lot and she blamed him for her own alcoholism. Eve talks quite a bit about how she really got to know herself when she began working of the fourth step. She knew Bill Wilson well and also had met Dr Bob. She worked for AA General Service in New York City and right after the 1965 Toronto International AA Conference she took some time off and went in search of AA around the world. She had a need to witness first hand how Alcoholics Anonymous spread to other parts of the globe. She went to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and all over Europe. Eve even attended an AA meeting in a Japanese Insane Asylum. She feels that Alcoholics Anonymous is the greatest export the United States has ever made. Near the end of her talk, Eve reads a very touching poem. This is a great talk by a great old-timer.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 59 Minutes
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EVE MARSH - WASHINGTON DC 8-19-83
This Alcoholics Anonymous talk was recorded at the 3rd Annual Congressional Luncheon in the Rayburn Building in Washington DC. First long-time congressman Wilbur E. Mills gives a short, five minute long talk, and well-know AA speaker, Sandy Beach reads, “How it Works.” When Eve Marsh begins to talks it’s obvious that’s she is a well-respected and well-spoken woman. She was 75 years old at the time of this talk but sounds more like she’s 45. Eve had been sober since January 6th, 1945. She’d spent a lot of time in AA service working with the GSO. She’s traveled all around the world and has quite a story to tell. She talks very fondly of the healing that finally took place between her two daughters, one a member of AA and the other a member of Al Anon. Eve delivers a great, clear talk on this recording.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 66 Minutes
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FRANNY SMITH - BOZEMAN, MT 5-23-92
Franny, from Hawaii delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Montana Spring Roundup in Bozeman, Montana on May 23rd, 1992. At the time of this recording, Franny was sober for 21 years. She really tells it like it is. She grew up in New York City, the child of two alcoholic parents. Her grandparents were alcoholics as well. Her grandfather was killed while drunkenly carrying a keg of beer down a flight of steps, so alcoholism is firmly instilled in her family. Franny spent many years of her early life trying to prove to herself that she was not an alcoholic like her father. She was married four times. She had a very traumatic experience while drunk; her young son was dying and she promised God she would never drink again if he spared her son. She linked up with AA only after turning in her husband for drinking. Things began getting better for her when she "Inadvertently wandered into a nest of Step Nazis." Good talk.
Contents - 15 Tracks
Length - 74 Minutes
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GRACE SNYDER - EUREKA, CA 11-25-78
“Amazing” Grace Snyder, the wife of Cleveland, Ohio Alcoholics Anonymous “Founder,” Clarence Snyder recorded this AA talk in Eureka, CA on November 25th, 1978. She’s got a very soothing way of delivering her message. Grace says that in March of 1968, her doctor told her that she was an alcoholic. Her doctor went on to tell her that her husband had died that same morning. She tells how she met her future husband, Clarence in Jacksonville, Florida. When she and Clarence sponsor someone new, Clarence takes them through the first three steps and she takes them through the remaining nine. It is obvious that Grace is an extremely grateful woman and she frequently praises her husband in this talk. She wraps up this talk by saying, “I hope that God will go with you and be with you and hold you in the palm of his hand until we’re here with you again.”
Contents – 4 Tracks
Length – 18 Minutes
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GRACE SNYDER - NEWHALL, CA 7-20-95
Grace recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at The Rafters Club in Newhall, California on July 20th, 1995. This recording was apparently made outdoors because you can occasionally hear a train in the background. Grace was 79 years old at the time of this talk. She came into AA in 1968. Her first husband had just died and she was very resentful. Shortly after she met her future husband Clarence Snyder, he insisted that they both get on their knees and take Step Three together. In 1971 Grace and Clarence got married and her life changed forever from that time on. Grace talks about the AA program coming from Christian roots. This is a very grateful and spiritual woman.
Contents – 7 Tracks
Length – 36 Minutes
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GRACE SNYDER - PHOENIX, AZ 7-10-82
Grace, wife of Cleveland AA Founder, Clarence Snyder gave the Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Phoenix, Arizona on July 10th, 1982 at the Rummy’s Jamboree. This is a very spiritual talk by a very spiritual woman. Grace says that she and her first husband, Herb slipped into alcoholic drinking without even realizing it. Herb ended up dying of a heart attack and Grace ended up in a Florida hospital with a diagnosis of alcoholism. Grace began reflecting back on her past in an attempt to find out why she became an alcoholic, and she could only blame it on the fact that when she was 21, her father was robbed and murdered. Grace describes meeting her second husband, Clarence. Grace closes her talk by saying, “If I had a message for just one person that God sent me to this desert to deliver, then my whole trip out here has been a marvelous success. I love you, I thank you for being attentive, and I hope you’ll be with us to enjoy the rest of this beautiful jamboree together.
Contents – 8 Tracks
Length – 38 Minutes
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HELEN S - TULLAHOMA, TN 11-25-88
Helen S from Morristown, Tennessee, recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 3rd Annual Gratitude meeting in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Helen’s date of sobriety is November 3rd, 1947. She was stationed in Guam while in the Air Force and was asked to leave because of her drinking. Helen woke up in a lonely hotel room in San Francisco and just could not stop drinking. Out of nowhere, a man gave her the phone number of AA. Helen took her fifth step with a minister she picked randomly out of the phone book. She now gets a lot of inspiration from the writings of Emmet Fox.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 47 Minutes
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HOLLY MARTIN - KENTUCKY 2-22-85
Holly, from Ann Arbor, Michigan recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 35th Kentucky AA Conference on February 22nd, 1985. Holly is an excellent speaker with a unique way of comparing the AA program to everyday things in life. When her AA sponsor asked her if she preferred to drink alone, Holly answered, “If I’m buying, yes – if you’re buying, no!” Holly talks about the twelve steps with real passion, particularly about the problems she had with step nine.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 56 Minutes
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HOLLY MARTIN - LINCOLN, NE 11-6-81
Holly recorded this AA talk at the Fall Frolic in Lincoln, Nebraska on November 6th, 1981. Holly’s sobriety date is November 11th, 1954. She had her first drink when she was 14; she took a few slugs out of her grandfather’s whiskey bottle. She tells a story called “The Legend of the White Butterfly,” which relates to the AA program in that it is about helping yourself before recovery can begin. Holly then compares the 12 steps of the AA program to the muscles of your body; a very unique perspective.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 69 Minutes
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HOLLY MARTIN - SAN DIEGO, CA NOVEMBER 1984
Holly Martin from Ann Arbor, Michigan recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in San Diego, California in November of 1984. At the time of this talk, Holly had been sober for nearly 30 years. She was an orphan and believes she had a “Chip on her Shoulder,” from a very early age. Holly had tried to regulate her drinking by attempting to sustain just a mellow high, but she always got too drunk. She preferred to drink Mad Dog 20/20. Holly made a pledge to God and to her church that she would never drink again, but her abstinence just didn’t last. She has never had a slip since joining AA because she was just too darn scared to try drinking again. Holly got a very interesting way of going over AA’s Twelve Steps.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 62 Minutes
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IVY HENNON - KIRTLAND, OH 11-12-00
Ivy, from Boardman, Ohio delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Kirtland Breakfast Group in Kirtland, Ohio on November 12th, 2000. Her final sobriety date is December 8thg, 1990. She had actually been in the AA program since 1980 but had continual slips. Ivy tells some stories of having good times while drinking but says for some reason they were always followed by a later catastrophe. When her drinking was at it worst, she began “seeing things and hearing things that weren’t there.” She was confined to a psychiatric ward in a hospital and the only visitor she was allowed was her uncle who was a member of AA. Since finding sobriety, Ivy speaks quite often at jails and talks about how good her life is now.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 48 Minutes
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JOHANNA ZACHARIA - BAKERSFIELD, CA 10-9-83
Johanna, from Costa Mesa, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Bakersfield, California on October 9th, 1983. Johanna grew up in a typical Irish, Catholic, and Alcoholic home. She had a lot of association with nuns and priests. Johanna was unable to develop relationships with people as she matured; she was completely withdrawn. Her drinking life lasted for 11 years before she hit bottom. Before the age of 21, she was a chronic alcoholic, unemployable and a frequent visitor to jails and the State Mental Hospital of California. At 23, she felt old and used up. At the time Johanna gave this talk she had been sober for eight years and eight months. Many things happened to her in sobriety including getting married, having children, and joining the PTA. Very inspiring talk.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 70 Minutes
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JOHANNA ZACHARIA - BAKERSFIELD, CA 2-2-91
Johanna, an excellent speaker from Costa Mesa, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the San Fernando AA Convention in Bakersfield, California on February 2nd, 1991. She had nearly 16 years of sobriety at the time of this recording. Johanna grew up with a lot of fear, unhappiness and anger in an alcoholic home. She had her first drink at a college fraternity party and drank to the point of passing out. Before she turned 21, Johanna was already a chronic alcoholic, drug addict and had been arrested several times. She eventually woke up in the mental ward of a state hospital after a suicide attempt. Her moment of clarity came when she stood frozen on a street corner unable to cross and get to the liquor store. After becoming a member of AA, Johanna became very involved with passing the message in hospitals and institutions. “In our need for one another, we ourselves are fulfilled.”
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 47 Minutes
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JOHANNA ZACHARIA - BRENTWOOD, CA 1-6-88
Johanna, from Costa Mesa, California delivered this great Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Pacific Group in Brentwood, California on January 6th, 1988. At the time of this recording, she had been sober for almost 15 years. Right from the start Johanna tells a humorous story about disposing of a Christmas tree which relates directly to her AA program. She came from a typical Irish-Catholic home but had a lot of difficulty while growing up. She did very well academically and had her first drink at a college fraternity party. Things went downhill from there. Johanna goes on to tell several horrific stories about her alcoholism and drug use. She became completely unemployable. She finally realized that all of the solutions she had to improve her life turned out to be wrong. A very understanding woman took her under her wing and led her into the rooms of AA. Johanna’s got a great story of recovery. She takes her sobriety very seriously.
Contents – 8 Tracks
Length - 40 Minutes
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KAREN G - YORK, PA 8-17-02
Karen, from Venice, California gives an excellent talk at the Fifth Annual Sunlight of the Spirit Conference in York, Pennsylvania on August 17th, 2002. She takes very few pauses in this talk; she really fills up the entire 62 minutes. Karen gives an inspirational AA message of hope and recovery. Her sponsor is Clancy Imislund and she mentions him quite often in her talk. Karen sums up by saying, “It’s been one hell of a walk from skid row in Nebraska to where I now stand in Pennsylvania. But for the grace of God and Alcoholics Anonymous I would have missed it all. Thank you for having me and thank you for my life.”
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 62 Minutes
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LILA RYAN - BRENTWOOD, CA 12-15-04
Lila delivered this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Pacific Group in Brentwood, California on December 15th, 2004. Lila is a strong, opinionated speaker with just a hint of an Irish accent. She got sober in 1969 in California and has over 35 years of sobriety under her belt. She recalls how she used to play Bartender on an ironing board when she was a kid. Lila's drinking took her to a point where she drank a couple of bottles of Vick's Cough Syrup everyday. She says, "From a half-assed prayer on a bathroom floor, I ended up in Alcoholics Anonymous." As well as telling her story, Lila briefly covers the twelve steps of AA.
Contents - 8 Tracks
Length - 39 Minutes
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LISA MANLEY - COLUMBUS, OH 8-12-05
This Alcoholics Anonymous talk by Lisa Manley was recorded at the 49th Annual Ohio State Convention in Columbus, Ohio. This is the first time Lisa has ever spoken at an AA convention. Her sobriety date is April 23rd, 1988. Lisa has a good recovery story and a great way of telling it. She’s very inspirational.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 59 Minutes
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LIZ BAILEY - COLUMBUS, OH 3-26-04
Sassy old-timer Liz Bailey recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Columbus Spring Round-up on March 26th, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. Liz, who was 83 years old and sober for 52 years when this recording was made, was a hard drinking woman that lived on the streets of New York City for 19 years. Her father committed suicide by hanging after suffering through years of alcoholism. After putting up with years of Liz’ drinking, her husband was the first to suggest that maybe AA could help her. Liz’ went to her first AA meeting on July 11, 1952. She talks about how satisfying it was when her husband accepted her amends that she finally made to him while he was on his death bed. Liz also talks about a series of deaths of close family members after she was sober, including her son who was shot and killed and her sister who jumped 30 floors to her death. Today, Liz has 17 grandchildren who she sees by appointment only. Near the end of her talk Liz says, “I thank you, I love you, and I will go to any lengths for any one of you - because that’s what God has done for me!
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 59 Minutes
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LIZ BAILEY - DAYTONA BEACH, FL 1994
Lively AA old-timer, Liz Bailey gave this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Fourth Annual Spring Roundup in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1994. Liz was 73 years old at the time of this talk. She took her first drink at age twelve and her drinking progressed from there. In later years, she had tried to kill her husband while she was in the middle of a blackout. After finally getting to AA, Liz tells how shocked she was at the willingness of people to share their problems. Liz had been raised in a house where all the family problems stayed within the family. She tells how grateful she is to be a cancer survivor. Liz is really a great, energetic speaker.
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 58 Minutes
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LIZ BAILEY - TAMPA, FL 9-2-94
Liz Bailey delivers this Alcoholics Anonymous talk with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. She made this recording in Tampa, Florida on September 2nd, 1994. Liz was 73 years of age and 42 years sober at the time of this talk. Liz was born in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of five children. She felt that she was an alcoholic at the age of 12. After years of drinking and consequences a woman friend told her that it was the “First Drink” that gets you. On July 11, 1952 she entered the rooms of AA. She’s enjoyed her sobriety over the years but Liz has really been tested. Her son was shot and killed, her father hung himself, and her sister jumped 30 floors from a Manhattan skyscraper. Her doctor diagnosed her with cancer and gave her six months to live, and now Liz has 27 years as a cancer survivor. This is a really inspirational recording.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 48 Minutes
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LIZ BAILEY - YORK, PA 8-17-03
Liz recorded this talk on August 17th, 2003 at the 5th Annual Sunlight of the Spirit Conference in York, Pennsylvania. Liz is from Hollis, New York and was 50 Years sober and 81 years old at the time of this talk. Her sobriety date is July 11th, 1952. She really is a no-nonsense speaker. Liz has a way of emphasizing her talk with some “loud” words. She is very passionate about the AA program and it’s obvious when you hear her. Liz talks about the suicide of her father and the very painful deaths of two of her children. She talks about an AA Big Book that was inscribed and given to her by Bill Wilson after she once spoke for him. At the end of her talk, Liz says, “If I have reached just one person here tonight, then I have not lived in vain. My life has been so rewarding.”
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 63 Minutes
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LORNA KELLY - NASHVILLE, TN 7-2-94
Very well-spoken speaker Lorna Kelly from New York City recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talks at the13th Annual Music City Roundup in Nashville, Tennessee on July 2nd, 1994. Lorna has a very distinguished British accent and tells some really good stories in this talk. She also tells about some excruciating emotional pain that she went through when she was sober for 15 years. Lorna says, "Alcohol and I had an incestuous, deadly dance with each other, and alcohol always lead." Lorna had worked with Mother Theresa in Calcutta, India. She eventually founded AA in Calcutta. Near the end of this talk, Lorna tells a very funny story about Jesus Christ's last few hours on earth. A really great talk.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 64 Minutes
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MARI G - MOORE CITY, NC 4-21-01
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 - 12 Tracks
Length - 58 Minutes
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MARY LEHNER 10-21-01
Mary, from Great Falls, Montana recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Inland Empire AA Convention. Mary's sobriety date is January 15th, 1972. She grew up around the Chicago area and when she had her fist drink, "Absolutely Something Magical Happened." She felt whole. After that, she began drinking and blacking out on a regular basis. Mary could go though short periods of time with no alcohol, but would always relapse. She was in 15 treatment centers. After being sober for many years, Mary talks about the occasional depression she suffers from. She refers to this as, "The dark night of the soul." She learned later that these periods are not something to avoid but something to move through. Her problems with bulimia and nicotine addiction were both lifted during these times of depression. Interesting and upbeat recording.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 59 Minutes
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MICHAEL EARL - COLUMBUS, OH APRIL 2006
“My name is Michael Earl and I’m a female alcoholic.” That’s the way Michael begins this Alcoholics Anonymous talk. She was formerly, Michael Manning but now she’s married and her name is Michael Earl. She’s from Evans, Georgia and she gave this AA talk at the Columbus, Ohio Spring Fling in April of 2006. She was born, was raised and got sober in California. Michael comes from a family of female alcoholics; her mother and grandmother were both drinkers. It’s humorous when Michael says she received, “Spirituality by Injection.” Michael talks quite a bit about character defects and her difficulty in getting rid of them. She now works in a military treatment center in Georgia. Her sponsor is well-known AA circuit speaker, Polly Pistole. Michael has got quite a tough story to tell here and does it very well; very inspiring.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 75 Minutes
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MICHAEL MANNING - JAMESTOWN, ND 1-24-93
Michael, from Long Beach, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Jamestown. North Dakota on January 24th, 1993. This woman’s story is a true inspiration. Her story takes her from the streets and being a single mother without a job to being sober and working for a company where she met with some of America’s most popular actors. Michael shares about how sobriety changed her life and how the steps and the people in AA have helped her thru some of life’s tragedies. She shows us how God will help us if we just move out of the way.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 63 Minutes
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NANCY MORRIS - ONTARIO, CANADA 9-11-92
Nancy, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Kenora, Ontario, Canada on September 11th, 1992. Nancy entered AA in California at the age of 26. She had been hiding her drinking for years prior to that. One night her husband confronted her and that’s the night she first went to an AA meeting. She felt very welcome at that first meeting although she was terribly ill. After Nancy got sober, she decided to try stand-up comedy. Later she became a flight attendant. She attributes all of her success to Alcoholics Anonymous. When Nancy was new to AA and first heard the expression, “We are lucky because we are chosen by God” it made her ill. After years of sobriety and reflecting back on her early AA years, she now believes it!
Contents – 9 Tracks
Length – 44 Minutes
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NORMA JEAN C - SAN DIEGO, CA 2-20-00
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 - 10 Tracks
Length - 49 Minutes
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OLGA MORRIS - FT WALTON BEACH, FL FEBRUARY 1995
Olga, from Rosharon, Texas recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Women in Recovery Weekend in Fort Walton Beach, Florida in February of 1995. At the time of this talk, Olga had nearly 29 years of sobriety. Olga said she was the black sheep in a family of non drinkers although she feels her entire family did have some emotional problems. She talks about taking her first drink of alcohol at age 16 and how "Magical" it was. She decided right then and there that she was going to have one of those drinks every time she got the chance. At one time, Olga had 19 different jobs in one year and was fired from all of them because of her drinking. Olga has a great way of sharing her story and at the end of this recording she says, "All people in AA are beautiful people. You have saved my life and for that I will be eternally grateful."
Contents - 15 Tracks
Length - 72 Minutes
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PAT JENNICHES - CASPER, WY 10-15-93
Pat from Vista, California recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Wyoming State Conference in Casper, Wyoming on October 15th, 1993. Her sobriety date is June 26th, 1961. Pat grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and says both of her parents were alcoholics. Her family was highly dysfunctional but their neighbors just called them "Nuts." She said she watched her mother die during alcoholic convulsions. Pat finally came into AA, "Yellow and Smelly." Pat says, "An egotist is not one that thinks well of himself, an egotist is one who thinks constantly of himself." "I may not be much but I'm all I think about."
Contents - 16 Tracks
Length - 78 Minutes
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PATRICIA C - YORK, PA 8-15-03
Patricia is from Alexandria, Virginia. She gives an excellent Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Sixth Annual Sunlight of the Spirit Conference in York, Pennsylvania on August 15th, 2003. At the end of her talk Patricia says, “Thank you for being the grace of God in my life, thank you for walking with me, and thank you that we’ll never have to be alone. Thanks for letting me share.”
Contents – 12 Tracks
Length – 58 Minutes
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PATTI OCHOA - COLORADO 8-31-01
Patti is from Laguna Niguel, California. She has a very humorous AA talk. Patti says that if only she had known that, "What is was Like" was going to be important, she would have paid more attention when she was drinking. She had no idea that she may have to be reporting on it someday. She was arrested 12 times for Drunk Driving Assault. She was a little confused when she first began going to AA. They told her not to drink between meetings. Then she realized that, no one is drinking AT the meetings either. Patti briefly covers all of the 12 steps of AA in this talk. At the end of her talk, Patti says, "With you I can stay sober one more day. A line that we’ve heard in chapter five, There is one that has all power, that one is God. May you find him now. Thank you."
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 63 Minutes
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