Meet the Podcasters Bringing Alcoholics Anonymous Into the Digital Age

In church basements and community centers, AA has helped people stay sober for 82 years. But is this decidedly old-school organization ready for a brand new spin?

Photos by Brittany Greeson

Andrew took his life on July 2, 2012. He was 26 years old. Later that month, his father, Mark, hosted the 372nd episode of “Recovered,” an unofficial Alcoholics Anonymous podcast. There isn’t an official one.

His voice cracking with emotion, his sentences punctuated with pregnant pauses, Mark read from The Big Book, the fundamental text for AA, and played songs by Wilco and The Avett Brothers.

For many years, Mark and Andrew had both struggled with addiction. Both had sought help. Andrew entered the AA fellowship in November 2002 at sixteen years old. Six months later, Andrew confronted his father about his own alcoholism and took Mark to his first AA meeting. Mark stayed in. Andrew struggled.

A 56-year-old engineer based in Canton, Michigan, Mark now records the “Recovered” podcast in his son’s bedroom. Four microphones dominate a space filled with reminders: Andrew’s dresser, clothes, wallet and cellphone; his Playskool cassette recorder.

Sharing Andrew’s story…