How artists can navigate staying sober

World Mental Health Day and Sober October are this month, and the Grammy-nominated guitarist Marcus King found that his sobriety and mental health are inextricably linked. In the comment below, he explains how 1 Million Strong and his own curfew scholarship fund have helped him create a compassionate and supportive community for sobriety, especially on the road.

I spent most of my time in the addiction feeling guilt and shame for the time I had wasted. There are many moments, incredible moments that defined my career, like the first time I played with Eric Clapton, Little Feat and Lynyrd Skynyrd, that I just don’t completely remember.

Addiction ran in my family and partly ruled my life for a while.

I had my first drink around 12 or 13 years old. I was often the youngest at the party. I drank in an attempt to appease the demons from years of trauma and abandonment that I had not yet learned to deal with. Drugs and alcohol helped me summon a muse and overcome my social anxiety.

I spent most of my teens and early twenties under the influence. Two years ago, I didn’t think I’d live long enough to make another album. I had tried several times to quit drinking, and while getting sober could be an effect in itself, my self-esteem was further weakened when I fell off the wagon. I’m certainly not the first to self-medicate.

We’ve lost many greats to addiction – Hank Williams, Billie Holliday, Townes Van Zandt, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse – and don’t have the adequate resources and community to support them. Behind the glamor of sex, drugs and the rock & roll lifestyle, the music industry can become isolating with grueling hours on the road, often far from loved ones and little time to focus on one’s health. But it’s getting easier to be an artist or a fan and stay sober.

What I have learned over the past two years is that sobriety and mental health are a journey, not a final destination. Every day I just need to grow and be compassionate when I fall short – when I fall, I need to remind myself that I’m not shit, I just screwed up.

I also learned what tools I need for the trip. The community is one. And that’s the key.

It’s easier for me to be sober on stage than alone with my mind. It’s necessary to have people on my tour who know I’m better when I’m sober and help me stay the course. That’s why I’m currently on the road with my friends 1 Million Strong. This initiative works with artists, festivals and venues to create community-based and engaging sobriety experiences, encourage open conversation about addiction and provide support to those impacted by substance use.

Going further, 1 Million Strong connects people with The Phoenix’s sober and active community, which provides those struggling with addiction the opportunity to make meaningful connections in their daily lives through virtual and in-person events across the country.

For me, it’s taking time to ride the Peloton bike before shows. Even the virtual community I find there helps me to continue.

Building community starts from the ground up: concert halls and touring are no exception. By working together to make the music industry a place where sober communities can grow and thrive, we hope to change the way people perceive music.

I have been so impressed by my industry friends and fans who have come forward to support this sober community and chart a better path forward. If I have one piece of advice for people whose loved ones are struggling with addiction, it’s to listen.

Substance use disorder is truly an illness, so don’t blame. Judgment only pushes those of us trying to stay sober further into the darkness. It erodes our self-esteem and our connection to you – the very things that could be vital to sobriety.

We also need to be honest in this country about mental health and how darkness fuels addiction. That’s what I try to do by sharing my experiences, and that’s the mission of my Curfew Fellowship Fund, which aims to create a support system for those struggling with mental health issues.

The foundation is named after my friend, tour manager and fellow songwriter Matt “Curfew” Reynolds, who died by suicide in 2017. I would like to believe if Curfew, Hank, Billie, Townes or any of the other greats we If we lost to addiction had access to a sober, supportive community equipped to help them fight their demons, their careers and lives would have been longer.

I once heard Tyler Childers describe sobriety as a way to regain time. My sobriety journey is about reclaiming the time I might have lost.

For me, meditating and spending time each day being grateful for my wife and my dog, Duck – who hates the smell of alcohol on people’s breath – and that life keeps me grounded. When I don’t drink, I’m more present, more creative, and I see things more vividly. I am who I want to be for myself, my loved ones and my fans.

Just because you’re sober doesn’t mean you can’t party. I believe everyone has a role to play in reimagining the music industry as a sacred space where everyone can show up as they are and perform together, no matter what’s in their cup.