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With their 1994 debut release, Cracked Rear View, Jim ""Soni"" Sonefeld and his bandmates found themselves traveling the world to support what would become the 10th best-selling album of all time in the United States. They would record six more studio albums and receive numerous awards. By the 2000s, Sonefeld's addictions began dominating his life. Eventually, through some major lifestyle changes and purposeful soul-searching, he experienced a spiritual awakening that would set him on a new path of clarity. Today, Sonefeld helps others in recovery by sharing his story and his music across the United States.
Praise for Swimming with the Blowfish by Jim Sonefeld: “We loved, fought, cried, laughed a lot, and did whatever it took to play the music that we knew was very distinctly ours…Jim ‘Soni” Sonefeld has lived a life that is rife with fun and pain, light and darkness, but always with an amazing amount of love. The way he sees the world is one of a kind and his story is one for the ages.” —from the Foreword by Darius Rucker “…the ultimate front-row seat to Hootie’s rise to fame in the mid-’90s. It also goes further into [Sonefeld’s] own journey from addiction to recovery.” —American Songwriter “I’ve truly relished hanging out with the fun-loving, mischievous ‘Soni’ through the years, but this book exposes a more deeply rooted, impassioned side he didn’t always show. He captures the spirit of the surreal and sometimes unsettling life behind the scenes of one of my favorite bands, sincerely revealing that he is as fragile as the rest of us. It’s an eloquent yet humbling example of a lesson we can all learn from—that no degree of fame or fortune leaves us immune to experiencing pain, powerlessness, and regret. —Dan Patrick, sports broadcaster, and host of The Dan Patrick Show “Jim Sonefeld details his rollercoaster ride through rock and roll, addiction and sobriety with searing honesty and grace.” —Radney Foster, singer-songwriter of Foster & Lloyd and author of For You to See The Stars “A book that encapsulates a band still beloved by legions of fans, Swimming with the Blowfish is much more—an unpretentious, emotional story of one man’s spiritual path to a more fruitful life.” —The Christian Beat “From the moment we crossed paths it was clear to me that Jim is more than the drums, more than the band, and more than the music. Highs and lows, good and bad, pretty and ugly…he’s gone through it all. This is a great peek into an amazing trip through a rock ‘n’ roll life—and beyond. Like a good snare drum, it’s crisp, memorable, and it packs a punch.” —Alexi Lalas, journalist, retired professional soccer player, singer/songwriter “It’s easy to forget how many lives one person can live. I’ve known Soni for close to thirty years and it’s a great gift to have this window into the details and inner world of his unique journey.” —Glen Phillips, lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket ""A book that encapsulates a band still beloved by legions of fans, Swimming With the Blowfish is much more—an unpretentious, emotional story of one man's spiritual path to a more fruitful life."" —Tennessee Tribune
