Charles Kelley, a member of Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, he has never directly addressed a specific incident until recently. He disclosed that there was a time when he came very close to receiving a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley acknowledges that when he consumed alcohol, it became a regular thing for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were driving while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances during the journey where Kelley acknowledges making extremely foolish and hazardous decisions. Reflecting on the incident the following day, Kelley realizes the potential consequences of their actions, recognizing that they could have caused harm to others or even lost their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with a DUI charge. It occurred during the Christmas season, and his wife, Cassie, and son, Ward, were away for a few days. This gave Kelley the freedom to consume alcohol without any familial responsibilities. He spent his day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night neared its end, fellow bar-goers began expressing worry about Kelley's intentions to drive himself home.
The person explains that they had thoughts like, "If I don't go back by driving, my wife will ask me where my car is." They could have easily retrieved the car the following morning without their wife knowing, as she was not present at the time.
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he discreetly left the rear exit of the bar and proceeded to drive away. Unfortunately, during the brief journey back to his residence, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person in that band?" I replied, "Yes." Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to pull my car to the side, and he personally drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any penalties. I was amazed and relieved, thinking, "Wow, I narrowly escaped a serious consequence."
However, the incident served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had occurred.
The singer expressed their exhaustion and frustration after experiencing a recent incident where they were pulled over. They believed that this event had the potential to bring negative attention to the band and cause a great deal of chaos.
He made a promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months, trying to resist the temptation. However, he eventually found himself falling back into his old habits of drinking. It took him another year before he finally decided to seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to share with Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the postponement of their 2022 Request Line Tour was primarily to safeguard Kelley's early stages of recovery. This decision to be honest was made solely by Kelley. Meanwhile, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed various alternative reasons to explain the band's absence from the tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she was about to share was the most difficult thing she had ever done. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything in her life, she chose to face her problems. Kelley mentioned that she was grateful for the experience, and this realization became a turning point for her. She decided to start sharing her story, and it has since gained momentum in a positive and beneficial manner.
Here are 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have compiled a list of 11 great country songs that revolve around the theme
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