Rock stars and parties go hand-in-hand in our idea of what being a rock star is, but that doesn’t mean they drink alcohol. There are plenty of rock stars that don’t drink. Some never drank and others chose to quit because of the effect booze was having on their life. 

I support everyone in making their best decisions for living their best lives. This article isn’t meant to encourage sobriety or booze.  Those are your life decisions, not mine. I do, however, applaud and support those that have chosen not to drink to put their life on a better track.

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A college friend of mine found herself in one too many situations where she was putting her health at risk when she drank.  She got sober years ago and AA is still a very big part of her life.  for my friend, it seemed (to me) almost like she had found a new religion. I do not mean that disrespectfully, but much like someone who is active in their religion, she attends meetings and surrounds herself with those on a similar path.

I see friends on social media that mention landmark points in their sobriety and I congratulate them.  It’s a big deal.  They are proud of what they’ve accomplished and I am truly happy for them.

I think it’s important to have strong examples.  This list is for all my friends who choose not to drink.

EDIT* Since I posted this, people have been responding with more rock stars that don’t drink so there are more than nine. 🙂

Rock Stars That Don’t Drink

• Elton John

  Elton John has been sober for more than 30 years. Elton chose to become sober after losing many friends due to his addiction. You can read more about Elton’s journey when you click here.

• Dee Snider

  Dee Snider drank once: when he was 14.  He said he got so drunk that he was paralyzed and never drank again (Fox News). Side note: Dee Snider wasn’t Twisted Sister’s original lead singer.  Dee replaced the original singer because the singer’s drinking was causing too many problems for the band.  Dee does admit his one addiction is coffee.  Dee even has his own coffee brand!

• Alice Cooper

  The man who has been throwing outrageous parties for decades quit drinking decades ago. Cooper told CTV that “I didn’t realize that I was an alcoholic until I realized that the alcohol was not for fun anymore. It was medicine.” (medium.com) Alice has been sober since the ’80s.  Alice says he starts every day with a cup of coffee and prayer.  He even has a song called, “Caffeine.” Here’s Alice hugging a giant cup of coffee from a 2015 show. lol

• Ringo Star

  Ringo got sober in 1988 after realizing that his health was suffering as a result of his lifestyle choices.  He also had another realization: “You always think you’re witty on alcohol and cocaine. You think you’re so witty that you decide to tell the same story over and over and over and over and over again. To the same person. I meet people now, and I think, ‘God, was I like that?’ And a little voice inside says, ‘Yes, you were.’” (cheatsheet.com)

   

• Ozzy Osbourne

  Ozzy’s struggles with alcohol and drug abuse are widely known.  While he hasn’t been sober for years, he has kept trying.  Ozzy credits his wife, Sharon, and AA with staying on the path.  Of Sharon’s zero tolerance for Ozzy’s drinking, Ozzy had a pretty amazing quote from an interview with The Mirror, “She’d wait like a praying mantis to catch me out drunk or stoned. And when she did she would throw books at me, all sorts. She once broke all my platinum discs, smashing them over my head… Last year when I was in a hotel, and she found out, she gets a pot of coffee and throws it in my face. It f***ing hurt and I had a red face for days. But she’s been great and we have seen it through.”

• Ted Nugent

  Ted Nugent has always been outspoken about being sober his entire life.  Ted has also mentioned in multiple interviews that he encouraged other rockers to get sober throughout his career.  Ted does say he has one drug of choice: bow hunting.  Side note: the only pop Ted Nugent drinks is Vernors.

• Eric Clapton

  Eric Clapton’s abuse of cocaine, heroin, and alcohol is widely known.  In an interview with loudersound.com, Clapton said, “I don’t know how I survived, the seventies especially. There was one point there where they were flying me to hospital in St Paul [Minnesota] and I was dying, apparently – I had three ulcers and one of them was bleeding. I was drinking three bottles of brandy and taking handfuls of codeine and I was close to checking out. And I don’t even remember. It’s amazing that I’m still here, really.”  Clapton has been sober for decades now and founded his own rehab center, Crossroads.

  

  The legendary guitarist was born on March 30, 1945 in England. Clapton is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. 

• Joe Walsh

  Joe Walsh said he had a “moment of clarity” while touring in 1989.  He wrote “One Day at a Time” about his life before and after his sobriety (songfacts.com). “I wanted to put that song on the album for anybody that comes across my music and might be in trouble too.”

• Stevie Nicks

  Stevie Nicks has been sober (aside from marijuana) since her 40’s.  She said of the experience, “I saved me. Nobody else saved me. I survived me. I survived my cocaine. I survived it myself.” (yahoo.com)  Stevie checked herself into the Betty Ford Clinic to begin her sobriety.

   

• Gene Simmons

  Gene Simmons says he’s never been drunk or high, but the reason behind is pretty heartbreaking.  He said he avoided these things out of respect and love for his mother and the traumatic experiences she went through in Nazi concentration camps (express.co.uk).

  Paul Stanley doesn’t drink either. Ace Frehley has been sober for 17 years now.

• Phil Collen

  According to blabbermouth, “In his early thirties, Collen decided to quit drinking and partying. His live-saving conversion came just before his DEF LEPPARD bandmate and “terror twin” of the party scene, Steve Clark, died of a prescription drug and alcohol overdose in early 1991.”  Phil said after he quit drinking, he started exercising and we all know how buff Phil is these days!

• Angus Young

  AC/DC has had its share of alcohol-related heartache.  Bon Scott died from alcohol poisoning. Malcolm Young died from dementia, but his years of hard drinking hardly helped.  Angus on the other hand has always been a teetotaler (musictimes.com).  The only drinks Angus has been seen with are chocolate milk or coffee.

• Steven Adler

  Steven Adler has had a rough road. His addiction issues are well known by me and fellow GNR fans.  Steven was kicked out of GNR in 1990 because of his heroin use. He’s been in rehab multiple times including two stints on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and Sober House.

  According to Distractify.com, Steven Adler finally got clean and sober in 2009.  Adler’s latest project is creating art using the beats from GNR Lies.  Here’s Steven explaining how it all works.

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