Kevin Kennedy says playing guitar "saved his life".
The former ‘Coronation Street’ star – who played Curly Watts from 1983 to 2003 – has been open about his battle with alcoholism, and he admitted that music has been a constant through his sobriety.
He’s quoted by The Argus as saying: "A guitar literally saved my life. I played with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke in the early days of The Smiths.
"A guitar was my constant companion during the ‘Corrie’ years and I took one into rehab. I have played since getting clean and sober."
This weekend, Kevin – who runs the Kennedy St and Co recovery services charity alongside his wife Clare – will take part in the Guitars Saved Lives event in Brighton as he performs with the New Note Strummers to raise awareness of how music can help those recovering from addictions.
He added: "I am definitely going to play the song I played with Johnny Marr. People will have to come along to find out what that is."
The cobbles legend recently thanked ‘Corrie’ bosses for sending him to rehab in 1998 as he was "merely existing" at the time.
He previously said: "Twenty-one years ago life was very different for me. I was totally dependent on alcohol. My whole life revolved around where the next drink was coming from.
"Often I was drinking in secret. I wasn’t living I was merely existing, drink to drink.
"It was only when ‘Coronation Street’ got involved, when they packed me off to rehab that I started on the long hard to recovery. If they hadn’t there’s a chance I wouldn’t be here today."
Kevin Kennedy say music ‘saved his life’
