Sober Sunrise - AA Speaker Podcast

Steve B. from Van Nuys, CA speaking at the Paramount speakers group in Paramount, CA - February 4th 2001
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Steve B. delivers a raw, hilarious, and heartfelt look at sobriety after over two decades of living alcohol-free since May 25, 1979. With self-deprecating humor and brutal honesty, he shares what it was like to come into AA thinking he was God, only to find out the real miracle was being willing to be rebuilt from the inside out. Steve doesn’t glamorize his drinking—he wasn’t the guy waking up in Vegas with stacks of cash and wild stories. He was the guy slowly dying in a chair, crying at game shows, ruled by resentment and fear. Through stories about ego, failed relationships, and an unforgettable 7-Eleven coffee meltdown, Steve reminds us that the real work of sobriety starts after we put down the drink. It's about letting go, owning our part, and showing up—even when we’d rather be watching The Sopranos. He closes with a powerful third step image: when we give our whole life to God, we get it all back—but now, we live it for Him.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Wayne B. from Santa Monica, CA speaking at Summerfest 44 in Eugene, OR - July 16th 2021
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Wayne B. speaks with deep reverence for the long arc of recovery, having been sober since November 8, 1977. His journey—from living in a dumpster on Skid Row to becoming a police officer and respected AA speaker—is a testament to the enduring power of spiritual awakening and service. Diagnosed and institutionalized 17 times before finding recovery, Wayne shares candidly about overcoming severe trauma, addiction, delusion, and the labels others placed on him. He credits the “three-legged stool” of AA—recovery, unity, and service—with transforming his life, emphasizing that long-term sobriety reveals deeper truths over time. Wayne's story is not only one of resilience and transformation but also of deep humility, spiritual awakening, and a relentless dedication to giving back. His life reminds us that healing is possible, that we are not what we've done, and that real change comes through the steps, one day at a time.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Ilene W. from Los Angeles, CA speaking at the Brentwood Beginners Workshop in Los Angeles, CA - January 8th 2015
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Eileen W. speaks with a captivating mix of sharp humor, brutal honesty, and heartfelt wisdom, reflecting on nearly 40 years of continuous sobriety since March 3, 1975. Once a self-described terrified, angry, and broken woman, Eileen found grace and transformation through the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Her life’s arc—from teenage pregnancy and addiction, to being mistaken for someone else by a stranger who ultimately led her back to AA—is a testament to how profound spiritual shifts can stem from the smallest, most human acts. She openly shares about enduring physical pain, supporting aging parents, reconnecting with the son she gave up for adoption, and showing up for life through grief, depression, and orthopedic surgeries. Through it all, she remains rooted in service, humility, and gratitude, believing her recovery is only sustained by giving it away.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Chris S. from Pottersville, NJ speaking on step 1 at the Fellowship of the Spirit in Toronto, Ontario, Canada - June 23rd 2023
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Chris shares a gripping, deeply human story of addiction, surrender, and redemption centered around the First Step of Alcoholics Anonymous. His journey began with anxiety and unease even before his first drink at age 13, followed by a fast descent into blackout drinking, wrecked cars, violent outbursts, and a progressively unmanageable life. He powerfully explains the concepts of physical allergy and mental obsession, showing how his mind always justified the next drink, even when his body and soul were crumbling. After numerous failed attempts to control or quit drinking, a moment of clarity in 1989 led him to rehab and ultimately to AA, where he began to understand the spiritual nature of the disease and his powerlessness over alcohol. Today, Chris embraces service, connection, and a Higher Power, finding purpose in his work at a hospice and sharing the message of hope. His story is a testament to how broken spirits can be restored through honesty, humility, and spiritual awakening.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Rósa Á. from Tønsberg, Norway speaking at the Primary Purpose convention in Oslo, Norway - November 6th 2022
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Growing up largely unsupervised in a small Icelandic fishing village, Rosa endured trauma, early addiction, and mental health challenges that led to repeated institutionalization and a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. Despite 13 rehabs, relapses, and a chaotic path, her surrender to a higher power on September 16, 2001, marked a turning point. Rosa’s life transformed through the 12-step program—becoming a devoted mother, sponsor, and even a police officer—while remaining deeply grounded in spiritual service.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Searcy W. from Dallas, TX speaking at the Houston Roundup in Houston, TX - November 11th 2002
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
With warmth, wit, and deep reverence for AA’s legacy, Searcy shares a remarkable 54-year journey of sobriety rooted in humility, service, and faith. Raised in rural West Texas and shaped by a Baptist upbringing, his drinking began in semi-pro baseball and escalated through corporate life until it became a compulsion. After finding AA in 1946, he played a foundational role in spreading the program across Texas and forming lasting ties with AA co-founders, including being personally sponsored by Bill Wilson. Through humor and history, he underscores the spiritual heart of AA—“trust God, clean house, and help others”—and passionately urges both old-timers and newcomers to preserve the fellowship's traditions. Searcy's life is a testament to the power of surrender, laughter, and unwavering dedication to carrying the message forward.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Karl M. from speaking at the Brentwood Beginners Workshop in Los Angeles, CA - August 6th 2015
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Carl shares a powerful, heartfelt, and often hilarious account of over three decades of sobriety, reflecting on a life transformed by the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Sober since January 21, 1987, Carl emphasizes that his alcoholism is the defining force that shaped every major turn in his life—before and after recovery. He vividly explains the physical craving and mental obsession that make up his illness, and how those two forces kept him trapped until the fellowship and spiritual path of AA offered freedom. From drinking on Antabuse in desperation to being lovingly sponsored and guided by pillars of AA, Carl’s life evolved from chaos and near ruin to one rooted in service, fatherhood, and deep gratitude. Today, he runs recovery houses, stays grounded by working with newcomers, and continues to learn from his character defects. Through it all, he remains clear: the solution lies in connection, humility, and staying in the center of Alcoholics Anonymous—where he has found meaning, love, and the true “music of life.”
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Happy 4th of July Weekend from your friends at Sober Sunrise!
Scott R. from Van Nuys, CA speaking at the South Bay Roundup in Torrance, CA - July 3rd 2004
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Scott recounts growing up in a chaotic Bronx household and later spiraling into heroin use, he details the ways alcoholism silently hollowed him out, despite 18 years of psychotherapy and various attempts to outrun the disease. With remarkable honesty, he shares how he and his wife Nancy—both shattered by addiction—found new life through the 12 steps, fellowship, and spiritual awakening in Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon. Scott’s story is rich with wit, pain, humility, and redemption, showing how he rebuilt broken family ties, embraced sponsorship, found new ways to serve others (even when flipping burgers for those who once hired him), and grew to cherish a God of mystery—not miracles. Through his vulnerability, humor, and fierce dedication, Scott embodies the life-saving power of surrender, service, and the shared journey of recovery.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Matt K. from Hartford, CT speaking at the Brentwood Beginners Workshop in Los Angeles, CA - June 1st 2017
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
From a troubled youth marked by arrests, addiction, and suicidal despair, Matt found hope and healing in Alcoholics Anonymous. With guidance from sponsors like Clancy, Bob H., and Howard P., he embraced the 12 steps, repaired broken relationships—including profound amends to his mother and old friends—and learned to live with purpose, humility, and deep spiritual connection. Now a house painter and devoted father, Matt spoke of the gift of forgiveness, the power of service, and how staying close to his higher power continues to bring him peace, clarity, and a quiet mind. His story is a moving testament to resilience, redemption, and the miracle of long-term sobriety.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Bill C. from Torrance, CA speaking at the Heart of the Ozarks convention in Springfield, MO - November 11th 2009
Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com
Bill C. shares on his decades of experience in Alcoholics Anonymous, reflecting on the foundational role of sponsorship and the transformative power of service to others. Framed by emotional stories of caregiving and loss, he underscores that true sobriety and growth come not from passive meeting attendance but from action, vulnerability, and genuine connection—especially through sponsoring and being sponsored. Drawing on AA history, including the Akron Manual and Gresham’s Law, he challenges complacency in the fellowship and calls for authentic commitment. Bill’s journey—from a self-seeking newcomer to a compassionate leader—reminds us that healing comes not through isolation but through courageous service and showing up when it matters most.
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu