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12/07/2016 11:01 PMSal “Nunz” Annunziato of Branford runs a software security company in East Haven. He’s a yoga instructor. He’s an author. And, he’s a rock and roll musician tho just released his new album, Own Trip, on iTunes.
As interesting as that is, it’s not even the most intriguing aspect of his story. He’s also the grandson of a notorious mobster, Salvatore “Midge Renault” Annunziato , and he is someone who has journeyed from the darkness back to the light as a recovering alcoholic who has also struggled with addiction.
He says his new album is indeed derived from his own personal journey, and is filled with hardship and tales of addiction, anxiety and depression. But he says his story of redemption is what comes through in his new album.
“My story is one of coming from darkness to light,” Nunz says. “I was completely hopeless and lost at 28 years old. I was an alcoholic, struggled with addiction, and suffered from anxiety and depression from a turbulent childhood. I know through personal experience what it feels like to be so alone and desperate. It’s not a good place to be. But I joined a 12-step program, started getting into yoga, and started looking at life differently—and it all became my catharsis. I experienced recovery in every area of my life and realized it was okay to be true to myself and to live a very different life from the destructive one I had led so many years prior.”
He says the album features a wide range of styles, but also “stays true to its classic rock and roll roots.”
“I wanted to make an album that reflected where I’m at in regards to music and life. I wanted the songs to be authentic and filled with feeling and energy. Eric Lichter was my producer, who owns Dirt Floor Studios [in Chester], and he was the only person I knew that would understand my life experiences as I retell them through my music. We connected and it was magical! Our collaboration went beyond all expectations that I had!” Nunz says.
Own Trip includes eight tracks: Own Trip, Remember, Something Better, Hole in the Soul, Love and Be Real, Last Big Fall (Little Kiss), Convenient Thinking, and Angels are Near.
Nunz also founded the simple but popular “Love Tribe: Hearts Open No Matter What” red bracelets after ending his yoga sessions with the phrase “Hearts Open No Matter What.” The red wristbands, which initially were made for Nunz’s yoga class, turned into a movement and as of today he has given out close to 40,000 bands in the USA, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Uganda, Palestine, Israel, Australia, Thailand, Sweden, China, Norway, Bulgaria, Africa, and Germany. He says $1 from each album sale will go to funding additional bracelet giveaways across the world.
“Everything I do, whether it’s my music, my yoga, or my books, is about living authentically and having an open heart towards people,” states Nunz. “We can have great diversity in life while also sharing a common bond. There is so much division in our country, but I think it’s time that we shift our focus away from what divides us and toward what we all have in common. We are all on the same journey and we get a lot further when we help one another. My life is a great example of how a human being can overcome the odds and the difficulties. I am here to tell people there is hope!”
He adds, however, that there is no “quick fix” when it comes to addressing alcohol and drug dependency problems.
“We are all looking for a quick fix, but there is none. Facilitating change in one’s life takes work,” he says. “But, it’s a worthwhile effort because it reveals who we really are. For me, the work included listening to that inner voice—that gut instinct from the heart—that became louder the more I focused on it rather than the noise and distractions around me. I didn’t just follow someone else’s path, but tried different things and the ones that resonated with me became a part of my everyday life. We are not meant to be a mimic of someone else. We have our own purpose—our own giftedness—and when we follow that path we are truly living an authentic life.”
But where does he find the time to pursue all of his varied interests?
“I have an incredible amount of energy. I’m in a constant state of creating—whether it’s music, business, yoga, or my humanitarian work (love tribe). It all comes from a place of vision and authenticity—it’s who I am and it’s good,” he says.
Own Trip by Sal Nunz is now available to purchase on iTunes and CDBaby. More information is available at www.salnunz.com.