This episode is personal for me.

When I was in the darkest stretch of my life — dealing with anxiety, depression, and the aftermath of trying to take my own life — I found myself lying in a hospital bed listening to a voice that somehow cut through everything I was feeling. That voice belonged to Colin Lillie.

His music, especially Broken, wasn’t just a song to me. It was something that carried me when I had nothing left. So to sit down with Colin today isn’t just an interview; it’s a moment of gratitude. It’s a conversation with someone who unknowingly helped save me.

Colin grew up in a hard mining village in Scotland — tough men, tougher women, and a culture where you drank to survive. As a kid he struggled with school and only much later learned he had ADHD. Instead of pathways, he found escape in alcohol. That escape became addiction, and addiction eventually became chaos.
Blackouts. Violence. Affairs. Losing relationships. Losing the chance to be a father to three children he still carries in his heart. And eventually waking up in the Todd River in Alice Springs with someone kicking his ribs because they thought he was dead.

But this is also a story about the moment everything shifts.

Colin talks about that exact turning point — the moment he realised the “villain” in his story wasn’t the world around him, it was the unresolved pain inside him. He shares how AA cracked him open, how a simple bottle of water became his higher power, and how learning to sit with fear, anxiety, and silence changed everything. His words about self-reflection, anger, and learning to love again are some of the most honest I’ve ever heard.

We also dive deep into the music — how he only found songwriting after getting sober, how he pushed himself to play in front of people even when he was shaking with fear, and how that journey eventually took him onto The Voice Australia, where millions heard him for the first time.

Colin also shares the reality of life today: supporting his wife Jacinta Price, navigating public pressure, flying to Nashville, showcasing at AmericanaFest, playing festivals, and continuing the never-ending work of staying sober and steady. The music is still a lifeline, but so is the quiet, the family, and the understanding that success is measured by how far away from the bar he now plays.

This conversation matters.
Not because it’s polished — but because it’s real.

If you’ve ever felt broken, lost, ashamed, or unsure how to start again, Colin’s story will speak to you. It speaks to me. And I hope listening gives you something you can carry forward.

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCUmqrO_ofmpCc9zfkOK-1Ag
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/au/artist/colin-lillie/529747237
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColinLillie

This show is about real people with real stories.
Conversations that aren’t polished.
Stories that actually mean something.
Every Monday at 7:15pm.

Don't sit in it alone.
Please reach out to someone you trust — a friend, a family member, your GP, or a local mental health service.
You matter, even on the days you can’t see it.

This trailer introduces The Georgie Line — a show for people who’ve lived a bit, learnt a bit, and want something real again. Each week, Pete “Georgie” George talks about life, sport, travel, photography, food, and the everyday moments that shape us. No judgement, no spin — just an honest Aussie take on the world we’re living in.