Touring with Demi Lovato not only gave Nita Strauss a different kind of music experience, it also helped her in her sobriety journey.
The guitar virtuoso took a break from her gig in Alice Cooper‘s touring band in 2022 to tour with Lovato’s live lineup. Speaking with Guitar World, Strauss says touring with the pop star marked “my first time on a tour that prioritized sobriety.”
“All the other tours I’ve been on have been respectful of people who don’t partake, but it’s still around all the time,” Strauss explains. “It was such a healthy experience being on a tour that didn’t have alcohol backstage.”
“It wasn’t a dry tour; people could go out and partake at their leisure if they wanted to, but not in the dressing rooms or areas where Demi and the band were going to be,” Strauss continues. “There were a lot of sober people on that tour and a lot of people in recovery to talk to.”
Strauss adds that Lovato has been a “huge ally on my journey.”
“When I was recovering from knee surgery, I had to take pain pills for a few days,” Strauss recalls. “Demi was the first person to reach out and ask how I was feeling, and whether I was triggered in any way or needed anything. That struck me as incredible, because she’s one of the biggest stars in the world, and she took the time to reach out to one of her band members, check in, and make sure my recovery was doing OK.”
Strauss is currently on tour with Cooper’s band. She also plays on the “School’s Out” rocker’s new album, Road.
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