Singer Paul Williams regrets losing a decade due to alcohol addiction

Paul Williams is among the popular American singers and songwriters best known for the 70’ iconic songs such as Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World" and more. As he recently attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame Annual Induction and Awards Gala, he opened up about the time when he lost a decade due to his addiction to alcohol. He even reflected on how the recovery community came out to help him after which he began writing songs again.

Paul Williams reflects on losing an entire decade due to alcoholism

According to PageSix, Paul Williams reflected on the times when he was misplaced in the ‘80s due to alcoholism. He revealed how he drank and used as most people did for about seven minutes and added that by the time he got sober, he misplaced a decade. He said, “I drank, I used, as most people do for about seven minutes, and then by the time I got sober I had misplaced a decade. The ’80s were gone for me.”

Stating further, he revealed how he was fortunate and lucky in the ‘70s while in the ‘80s, he stayed at home and alphabetized his canned goods. “I was incredibly productive and fortunate and lucky, lucky, lucky in the ’70s. In the ’80s I stayed home and alphabetized my canned goods,” he said. 

Paul Williams also mentioned how turned to people for help and added that he didn't pursue music right after that. “I turned to people and I asked for help. I said, ‘I’m lost and I need help,’ and the recovery community came out of the woodwork to help me and I loved it. I didn’t pursue music right after that, I went to UCLA and got my certification as a drug and alcohol counsellor. I found my tribe and what happened is, eventually, I started writing songs again.”

Reflecting on the breakdown he went through during a gig in Oklahoma, he even revealed how the guy who promoted that gig had put together a prayer circle to pray for him to find relief from his addiction. “In a blackout, I called a doctor and said I wanted to get sober. The week before, I had been in Oklahoma doing a gig and I had a full-tilt psychotic breakdown because I was so loaded. I found out 10 years later that the guy who promoted the gig was sober for a long time and he put together a prayer circle to pray that I would find relief from my addiction. A week later during a blackout, I called a doctor,” he revealed. 

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