Russ Taff on Addiction, Rock Bottom and the Redeeming Power of Christ

Updated Apr 11, 2025

Russ Taff on Addiction, Rock Bottom and the Redeeming Power of Christ

For Russ Taff, Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence is far more than a melancholy classic -- it's a first-person reflection. The song's opening line -- "hello darkness, my old friend" -- evokes his struggle with alcoholism and relapse, conjuring the image of him stepping into a lonely hotel room after singing about Christ to a sold-out crowd, only to fall back into the addiction pit once again.

"You think you disappointed everybody. But He never walked away from me," Taff said of Jesus. "And I tried to walk away from Him."

Taff's latest album, Cover Story, is a collection of cover songs that reflect his life's journey -- the bad, the good, and the inspiring. The Sound of Silence is one of them, but so are Depeche Mode's People Are People, The National's Demons and the B.B. King/U2 song When Love Comes to Town. It includes 11 tracks. 

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Photo Credit: ©Canva Pro 

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