One for the Road: The Quit Drinking Podcast18 Jul 2025

A Musician's Sobriety Story: How David Graham Quit Drinking

Dave is 18 months sober after nearly 40 years of social drinking, including a university run that hit 100 pints in a week. In this recovery story, the Showaddywaddy saxophonist walks through how he quit drinking — from his first pint with his dad at 15, to the solo holiday in Fuerteventura where he decided he didn't want to be that version of himself anymore.

Dave opens up about the drinking culture he landed in at the Royal Northern College of Music, losing his middle brother and his dad in the same week in 2008, a serendipitous phone call from Dave Bartram asking him to join Showaddywaddy, losing his youngest brother in July 2020, and the six-month internal battle in sobriety where his own head kept asking "when are you going to start again?"

He also talks about the loaded word "alcoholic," why moderation was never going to work for him, and how making it non-negotiable finally quietened the voice. Eighteen months alcohol free, three stone lighter, and still out on tour with the band.

Follow Dave on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davegrahamsax/

Catch Dave on tour with Showaddywaddy

www.showaddywaddy.net/gigs

If you want to connect with me via Instagram, you can find me on the instahandle @Soberdave https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/

or via my website https://davidwilsoncoaching.com/

Provided below are links for services offering additional help and advice.

www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/alcohol-support-services

https://nacoa.org.uk/

Show producer- Daniella Attanasio-Martinez

Instagram - @TheDaniellaMartinez

https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellamartinez/

www.instagram.com/grownuphustle

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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