Singer on tour with Pennsylvania’s The Stylistics shares his story with alcoholism

• Aniya Faulcon
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Aniya Faulcon is The Spark Host/Producer for WITF. She has a passion for shining a light on unique people, experiences, and perspectives within the community.
  
  Previously she worked as the People and Social Trends Reporter/Video Anchor for LancasterOnline | LNPNews. During her time there, she created video packages, provided Facebook Live coverage at community events, and wrote data-driven stories with census data and feature stories on local leaders, non-profit organizations, events, and people with unique talents and experiences within Lancaster County.
  
  Aniya also worked at WMAR ABC 2 News as a Sales Assistant and at the AFRO American Newspapers as an Executive Assistant and Media correspondent. Aniya interned at WEAA Gospel Grace 88.9 and worked at her alma mater’s radio station, WWPJ at Point Park University, where she gained skills and a passion for radio.
  
  Aniya grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore School for the arts for high school with a concentration in acting. She continued to hone her skills and passion for storytelling and later graduated from Point Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Broadcast Reporting. Aniya is eager to continue her journey with storytelling in her role with WITF, as she aims to shed a light on real people and real stories within Pennsylvania in a variety of mediums.

 Tom Cridland

Airdate: Monday, January 2, 2023

On The Spark Monday, Tom Cridland, a singer and songwriter, who creates original rock and pop music, discussed his story as an artist and how he used Elton John’s music to overcome a life-threatening alcohol addiction.

After his struggle with the alcoholism, he achieved success as he is currently on tour performing in front of thousands across the country and the United Kingdom, with the Pennsylvania based soul group, The Stylistics. He also hosts a podcast, Greatest Music of All Time, with guests that have included Earth, Wind & Fire, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Chance the Rapper, Christina Hendricks and more.

Cridland, who has been sober for the past five years said, he nearly drunk himself to serious injury and death on numerous occasions but there was one thing that saved him.

“Having Elton John’s music to turn has kept me sober and has effectively saved my life,” Cridland said.” “It’s not only that I never get bored of his music but it’s also him as a sober man that lives a larger than life existence; that is a big inspiration. One of the things that a lot of people worry about, irrationally, when they want to become sober is that they’re no longer going to be fun, interesting, and people are going to think they’re boring and their friends will no longer want to hang out with them. But Elton proves that you can certainly be a very colorful, unique, fun character without boozing.”