Barber Shop Podcast

We need stories. Humans have made remarkable strides through our ability to record and learn from stories. Stories educate, entertain and impart wisdom from the thoughts, turned to words that then become books, movies... and songs. Everyone sings about love, perhaps the greatest personal/universal experience of them all, but if you listen, addiction is likely the subject behind almost as many great tunes over the years. Take one moment and consider the sheer number of musical greats we have lost over the past fifty years to overdose and substance abuse and it staggers the mind. Think about the great artists, writers and musicians who have wrung their hearts out, laid bare the perils and shared their stories of the bottle, the needle or the powder and you begin to realize that these ports are merely the canary in the coal mine. Some would argue there is a glorification of the party life within the trade, others that it is merely the trappings, but either way , at some point, the party is over. For some it is until the next holiday, others the next weekend, and for some, the first moments of consciousness - and the start of the cycle all over again. For it is that moment of stark consciousness as it hits the addict that it has to stop - that every person in recovery can remember with extreme clarity. That moment in time where the cost is too great and the bottom too hard when the first tentative steps towards recovery happen is in every way a rebirth, and for that, every person fighting daily needs to celebrate their very own Soberthday. Tonight's guests all have their own dates etched in their minds. Frank Koren has 14 years, George Douglas is in his seventh and this very night is Dave Ponfret's 6th soberthday and we wanted to celebrate. Dave is about to release his new CD "A Devil's Urge" in May and it is a wonderful testament to his skills as a writer and musician. We play three songs from it and feature Dave performing "Alcohol & Pills" by Fred Eaglesmith. Frank Koren brings the newly released "Uncommon Journey" and plays his track as well as a live rendition of Sweet Virginia that had everyone singing along. Last but not least, George C.W. Douglas plays the prophetic Long View by Todd Snider and a great selection from his CD "Greetings From Big Muddy" along with his own stories of tragedy and triumph. So, this one goes out to the people who don't want to feel because they feel too much. This show is for the daughters, sons and lovers who are there or getting there. If you've been clean for 90 days or 90 years, you still deserve to celebrate the fact that you're winning a tough fight. A lot of love, a lot of honesty, and a lot of joy were had this night as we all had a great time being grateful, tuneful and being ourselves. Cheers.