Alcoholism & Drug Addiction

He's the man who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes," the hit song sung by Elvis Presley which became the first Sun label record to sell over a million copies. Carl Perkins has also written the songs, "Matchbox," "Honey Don't," and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" which have been recorded by the Beatles. Born in Tennessee, he's a pioneer of rockabilly music. His new memoir and CD are both called "Go Cat Go!"

Journalist and author Edward Behr talks with Terry Gross about his new book "Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America." Behr has written ten other books including: "The Last Emperor," and "Hirohito: Behind the Myth."

Collins has managed the band Aerosmith since 1984. A former addict and in his early days with the group, he often procured drugs for the band. He later helped the members get sober and revitalize their careers. Collins believes band managers and record executives need to work with musicians to overcome the systemic use and abuse of drugs. He works in Cambridge, MA as the founder and president of Collins Management.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Trainspotting," the gritty tale of heroin addicts in Scotland, which somehow makes for riveting entertainment.

Former U.S. Senator George McGovern. He has a new book called "Terry: My Daughter's Life and Death Struggle with Alcoholism." (Villard) After a night of drinking in December of 1994, Terry was found dead in a parking lot near her home in Madison, Wisconsin. Terry's addiction plagued her almost her entire life, despite countless efforts at rehabilitation. The book draws upon Terry's letters and journals, interviews with loved ones, and medical and police records.

Country music star, George Jones. He's widely acclaimed as one of the greatest country singers, but his 40-year career has also been marked by alcohol and drug abuse. He recently published his autobiography, "I Lived to Tell it All" (Villard, New York).

Laurie Pepper is the wife of the late alto saxophonist Art Pepper, who died in 1982 and was considered to be the greatest alto saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker generation. Terry talks with Pepper on the occasion of the updated version of her husband's autobiography, Straight Life, (which he wrote with the help of Laurie, published by Da Capo Press). There are also two new box sets of Pepper's music: "The Complete Village Vanguard Sessions," and "The Complete Galaxy Recordings."

Emmy award winning actor Kelsey Grammer. The former co-star of "Cheers" and the current star of "Frasier," has written his memoir, "So Far." (Dutton). Grammer, who got his start in classical theatre, is now known for his comic gifts in "Frasier" which is one of television's top ten shows.

Actress Mary Tyler Moore. She starred in the Emmy award television show "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and the film "Ordinary People." She is now starring in a new CBS series "New York News," a drama about life at a fictional New York newspaper, and has recently written her autobiography, "After All," (Putnam's Sons).

Neurologist William Langston. His work plunged him into a medical mystery, and a hot political controversy about the ethics of medicine. In 1982 Langston was called in to examine a number of "frozen" patients, young men and women in the San Francisco Bay Area who suddenly could neither move or speak, though conscious. Langston recognized the signs of Parkinson's disease, and determined that these patients had all used the same batch of tainted heroin. Langston prescribed L-dopa, a treatment for Parkinson's which only provided short-term relief.

Lucas was the number one draft pick for the NBA in 1976, before his career went downhill as a result of drug use. He conquered his addiction and started a recovery program for other drug-addicted athletes. He coached the San Antonio Spurs to the playoffs twice, and is now the head coach, general manager, and vice president of the Philadelphia 76ers. Lucas has just written a memoir, called "Winning a Day at a Time."

Jazz musicians Red Rodney and Sonny Sharrock. They're both important jazz figures who recently died. We will rebroadcast previous interviews with both Rodney was a trumpeter and band leader. He rose through the big band ranks and played in Charlie Parker's quintet. He was known as one of jazz's best improvisers. And he was known for regaling journalists with his stories-- often of dubious veracity. (Rebroadcast of 6/15/1990)

Pharmacologist Dr. Avram Goldstein. He set up some of the first methadone clinics to treat heroin addiction in California, and has a new book "Addiction: From Biology to Drug Policy" (Freeman). Goldstein argues that addictions are diseases, and must be considered a public health problem. A study released last month may back him up: 500,000 American deaths a year are attributed to cigarette, alcohol and drug use.

Defensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons, Tim Green. Green's written a novel, "Ruffians" (Turner), about a football star who's NFL experience is dominated by money and steroids. During football season, Green writes a weekly column for the "Syracuse Herald-Journal". Off season, Green attends law school. His sports commentaries can be heard occasionally on NPR.

Don Des Jarlais is an expert on AIDS and HIV infection among drug users. He's the Director of Research at the Beth Israel Medical Center's Chemical Dependency Institute in New York and the Deputy Director for AIDS Research, National Development and Research Institutes, New York. He's also a consultant on AIDS to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization.

Sociologist and research associate at the Institute for the Study of Social Change, Elliott Currie. He has a new book, "Reckoning: Drugs, the Cities, and the American Future." He believes that effective drug control depends on curtailing poverty and improving the economy in inner cities.

Director of Health Policy, Department of Public Health, Mathea Falco. She was an advisor to Clinton during the presidential campaign. She's written extensively about drugs, drug abuse, and drug policy. She has a new book, "The Making of a Drug-Free America: Programs that Work."

The daughter of Marlene Dietrich, Maria Riva. Dietrich died last May at the age of 90, with her mystique still intact. Riva has written a memoir, "Marlene Dietrich," which relies on Riva's memories and on Dietrich's letters and diaries. It's been called a "sympathetic" book about a woman who is "uncaring," and who had a complex relationship with her own sexuality. Riva also describes her mother's decline into alcoholism.

Novelist, journalist and columnist Pete Hamill. He's written seven novels, including "Flesh and Blood," and "Loving Women." Most recently he was editor-in-chief at the New York Post. He's latest book is a memoir of the years he spent drinking, "A Drinking Life: A Memoir," (Little, Brown & Co.) Hamill quit drinking twenty years ago. One reviewer in Publishers Weekly writes about Hamill's new memoir, "This is not a jeremiad condemning drink, however, but a thoughtful, funny, street-smart reflection on its consequences."

Guest host Marty Moss-Coane talks with three young drug dealers from Camden, New Jersey. They're members of the 6th and Ferry gang, and go by aliases: Eddie Bauer, 16 years old, Kevin Madison, 20, and Sampson Riley, 18.