In this inspiring episode of Soberness, Grammy-nominated artist Tracy Bonham opens up about her journey to sobriety and the role music played in her healing. Known for her hit single “Mother Mother” and her raw, emotional songwriting, Tracy shares how she used music as a tool to confront pain, process emotions, and find strength in recovery.

From the highs of a successful music career to the lows of addiction, Tracy reveals the moments that led her to choose sobriety and how creativity became her greatest ally. If you’re curious about the power of music to transform lives and inspire healing, this episode is a must-watch.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Music as a Healing Tool: Tracy shares how creating and performing music became a therapeutic outlet that helped her process emotions, confront her struggles with addiction, and find a pathway to sobriety.
   
   

2. Creativity Can Be a Lifeline in Recovery: Tracy emphasizes the role of artistic expression in personal healing, showing how engaging in creative activities can provide strength, clarity, and resilience during the recovery journey.
   
   

3. The Pressure of Fame and Addiction: Tracy discusses the unique pressures of the music industry and how success, touring, and the demands of fame contributed to her struggle with alcohol, highlighting the importance of balance and mental health support.

ABOUT THE SOBERNESS PODCAST

Soberness is a new podcast from Cat Greenleaf, creator and host of Talk Stoop.

Cat brings her legendary interviewing style and ten years of sobriety to wild conversations with celebrities and notable people who have been on their own sober journeys, either out loud in public or quietly at home.

Soberness is not a somber show about sobriety.

It’s about the one-of-a-kind stories that define the lives of people we all know, sharing the aching humor and the meaning that comes with a life in recovery.

And it’s about how that life redefines the work and the art of the actors, musicians and thinkers around us.

Soberness is built upon the primary belief that there’s no one definition for sobriety and no one way to get sober …and there are a million stories that can lead the way for anyone who’s trying to make it happen.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE: https://youtu.be/Rkx0ROxpNH8

LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO PODCASTS HERE: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CT7iEJi0PIzaVHxEBVZVi

ABOUT CAT GREENLEAF

Cat Greenleaf is a veteran TV personality and host, best known for her long-running series, Talk Stoop, where she interviewed and entertained actors, musicians, politicians, and other notable folks on the stoop of her Brooklyn brownstone. When she’s not TV-ing, she’s working on her non-profit the Restorative Housing Organization which provides employment for formerly incarcerated folks and affordable waterfront housing. She also leads AA meetings for inmates at Bedford Hills Women’s Maximum Security Prison, and for formerly incarcerated men and women in East New York. She lives in Brooklyn’s Coney Island with her husband, two sons and three dogs.

TIMECODES:

00:00 Introduction

02:15 Tracy's Early Musical Influences

05:30 Turning Pain into Music

08:45 Tracy’s Battle with Addiction

12:10 Sobriety and Creativity

15:20 Finding Healing Through Music

18:35 The Role of Therapy in Recovery

21:50 Challenges of Staying Sober

25:05 Advice for Aspiring Musicians

28:30 Tracy’s Message to People in Recovery

Keywords: Tracy Bonham, Soberness podcast, music and addiction recovery, healing through music, overcoming addiction, Grammy-nominated artist sobriety, addiction recovery journey, music therapy for sobriety, Tracy Bonham interview, using creativity in recovery, the power of music.

Episode Description:

It's Christmas time, not just in Hollis Queens! While RUN DMC's classic holiday smash is in heavy rotation, check out this heartfelt episode of Soberness. Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, one-third of the legendary hip-hop group Run-DMC, opens up about his struggles with addiction, depression, and finding purpose beyond fame. DMC shares the pivotal moments that led him to sobriety, the role therapy played in his healing, and how creativity and self-discovery saved his life.

This powerful conversation explores the dark side of fame, the weight of guilt and shame, and the transformative power of vulnerability. If you’re seeking inspiration on your own recovery journey or looking to understand the depths of addiction and redemption, this episode offers hope and wisdom.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. **Therapy as a Lifeline**: DMC highlights how therapy helped him confront and process the guilt, shame, and unresolved emotions that fueled his addiction, showing the importance of seeking professional help.

2. **The Power of Creativity**: Embracing creative outlets like writing and comic books played a significant role in DMC’s recovery, offering him a way to reconnect with his identity and purpose.

3. **Purpose Beyond Fame**: DMC shares how discovering a purpose outside of his music career gave his life new meaning, reminding us that recovery is not just about abstaining from substances but building a fulfilling life.

ABOUT THE SOBERNESS PODCAST

Soberness is a new podcast from Cat Greenleaf, creator and host of Talk Stoop.

Cat brings her legendary interviewing style and ten years of sobriety to wild conversations with celebrities and notable people who have been on their own sober journeys, either out loud in public or quietly at home.

Soberness is not a somber show about sobriety.

It’s about the one-of-a-kind stories that define the lives of people we all know, sharing the aching humor and the meaning that comes with a life in recovery.

And it’s about how that life redefines the work and the art of the actors, musicians and thinkers around us.

Soberness is built upon the primary belief that there’s no one definition for sobriety and no one way to get sober …and there are a million stories that can lead the way for anyone who’s trying to make it happen.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE:

https://youtu.be/w3toqqt4hFs

LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO PODCASTS HERE: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CT7iEJi0PIzaVHxEBVZVi

ABOUT CAT GREENLEAF

Cat Greenleaf is a veteran TV personality and host, best known for her long-running series, Talk Stoop, where she interviewed and entertained actors, musicians, politicians, and other notable folks on the stoop of her Brooklyn brownstone. When she’s not TV-ing, she’s working on her non-profit the Restorative Housing Organization which provides employment for formerly incarcerated folks and affordable waterfront housing. She also leads AA meetings for inmates at Bedford Hills Women’s Maximum Security Prison, and for formerly incarcerated men and women in East New York. She lives in Brooklyn’s Coney Island with her husband, two sons and three dogs.

Keywords: DMC sobriety, Run-DMC recovery, hip-hop addiction stories, overcoming addiction, therapy and healing, finding purpose in recovery, guilt and shame in addiction, creative outlets in sobriety, mental health and music, fame and addiction struggles, addiction recovery journey, DMC comic book passion, Run-DMC redemption, recovery wisdom, Darryl McDaniels sobriety story, healing through creativity, depression and sobriety, inspiring recovery stories, hip-hop mental health, Run-DMC life lessons.