The Joe & Charlie Collection

The Joe & Charlie Big Book Studies

In 1973 Joe McQuany introduced Charlie Parmley as the AA speaker at an Al-Anon Convention. Joe and Charlie soon discovered that they both shared a love for the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Traveling between their homes to discuss the Big Book became a regular event. Eventually others were invited to join these discussions and in 1977 they met together as a group in Tulsa Oklahoma. From this event they were invited to share a program on the Big Book at one of the participants' home AA group in Lawton Oklahoma. This presentation was recorded and the tapes began to be circulated. By 1980 Joe and Charlie had presented the workshop eight times. At the 1980 International AA Convention in New Orleans, Wesley Parrish, an impassioned Big Book lover from Pompano Beach, organized a lunch for 1,500 AA's from all over the world and gave away 100 sets of the talks from the 1st 1977 Joe and Charlie seminar as door prizes. His intent was to spark interest in spreading the seminar across the country. To do so he assigned the seating and placed the tapes under the chairs of individuals, he felt would be the most likely to organize this type of event in their home areas. Invitations exploded and within a couple of years, Joe and Charlie were presenting about 36 studies a year worldwide. Studies have been given in most the states and Canadian provinces. Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands all hosted the Big Book Study seminars with Joe & Charlie. As Joe McQuany aged he was not able to keep the taxing schedule. In stepped Joe McCoy, an early participant, and filled the void. Presented below are multiple versions of their weekend events - the first with Joe McQuany and the second with Joe McCoy. The 2005 version found below, featured all three men presenting. This event still continues around the world by different speakers. You can find information on the current event by clicking here. AA Historians make note of a change in the way the working of the Steps has evolved over time, many credit this marked change to the impact these seminars have had around the world.

The following persons are located on this page. To jump to their bio click on the name.

Charlie Parmley - (AA) of Maysville, Arkansas (1929-2011, 82 years old)

Charlie is widely known within the recovery community because of his love for the big book and for his partnering with Joe McQuany to start the Joe & Charlie Big Book Studies. Charlie was the co-founder of the House of Hope Inc. Recovery Center in Grove, Oklahoma. He is also responsible for organizing a trust fund maintains Dr. Bob's Home in Akron and the Wilson House in Vermont. After Joe McQuany passed in 2007, Charlie continued the Big Book Study Workshops with Joe McCoy. Charlie died of a heart attack in 2011.

Joe McQuany - (AA) from Little Rock, Arkansas. (1928-2007, 78 years old)

Joe partnered with Joe Parmley to start the Joe & Charlie Big Book Studies. In the early 1970s, with a $330 grant and a few donations, he founded a program called Serenity House. He developed Recovery Dynamics, a treatment model for addiction.  Soon other facilities wanted to replicate the programs success. Serenity House grew into Serenity Park Treatment Center, an extended care facility.
Joe authored & published
"Recovery Dynamics Counselor's Manual", the book "The Steps We Took", and a guide to sponsorship titled "Carry This Message". Battling Parkinson's disease but not satisfied he had done enough, he founded a treatment facility for women, out of which the Kelly Foundation was born which developed and distributed materials about treatment of alcoholism & substance abuse. In 2007 Joe died of Parkinson's disease.

Joe McCoy (AA) of Tulsa Oklahoma (1939-2014, age 75)

When Joe McQuany was no longer able to travel, Joe took his place presenting the Joe & Charlie Big Book Studies with Charlie Parmley. Joe was a long time member of AA and had been active with the Big Book Studies from the beginning.  He was a retired printing salesman from Tulsa. Joe died November, 23, 2014.

Willie Bingham (AA) of Spring Texas

Sober in 1957, Willie was a long-time high school teacher and traveled the country presenting from the book "The 12 Steps & 12 Traditions" at the Joe & Charlie Big Book Weekend events. Willie loved riding her motorcycle in her later life. Willie passed in January of 2011

Wesley Parrish (AA) of Pompano Beach Florida

Wesley served in the Navy during WWII, returned to Pompano Beach where he grew up, and became an electrical contractor. He attended his first AA meeting on Nov 13th 1947. He served as an elected AA delegate. Wesley studied the Big Book and started the Pompano Beach Workshop AA Group, where an in-depth study of AA literature was the main focus. After his retirement he and Wayne P conducted a 90 day "whistle stop" tour of every AA group in Australia, speaking on the importance of studying the Big Book. At the 1980 International AA Convention in New Orleans, Wesley organized a lunch for 1,500 AA's from all over the world. There he gave away 100 sets of the Joe & Charlie Big Book Study held in Lawton OK in 1977 as door prizes. His intent was to spark interest in spreading the seminar across the country. In 1982, with the help of his "protégé" John Williams, they put on the first Big Book Seminar Weekend at the Palm Aire Convention Center in Pompano Beach. This event included the Joe & Charlie BB Study and also a 7-9 hour event The 12x12 Comes Alive. The event ran from Thursday through Sunday, and cut out the traditional events normally done at an AA conference like golf and a dance. This was the first of this type of event to be held in AA. Wesley called the group of presenters "The Paul Revere Group", because their mission was to carry the AA message. At this first event the presenters were Wesley Parrish, John Williams, Willie Bingham, Jack B, Charlie Parmley, and Joe McQuany. Joe McCoy filled in for Joe McQuany, due to a previous scheduled engagement. (In 2000 Joe McCoy replaced Joe McQuany who retired). Wesley was a circuit speaker for many years, and also instrumental in the purchase and preservation of the house that belonged to Dr. Bob & Anne Smith in Akron, Ohio. Wesley passed in his sleep on the evening of 6 November 1985 but he left a tradition that is still being carried out around the world.

John Williams (AA) of Pompano Beach Florida

John was sponsored by Wesley Parish. After Wesley died John organized and participated in many of the Big Book Weekends carrying on the passion that Wesley had for teaching the steps. John Williams died on the 8th of January 2018. Without John’s efforts for so many years, the Big Book Seminar would not have survived Wesley Parrish. John Williams passed away on January 8, 2018