Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal journey towards sobriety. However, he has recently revealed a previously undisclosed incident where he came close to receiving a DUI after driving under the influence of alcohol.
In a recent interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he was consuming alcohol, it became a frequent habit for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf and subsequently drive back home.
Kelley confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the drive, Kelley acknowledges experiencing several instances where she realized the extreme foolishness and riskiness of her actions. Reflecting on the following day, Kelley expresses a deep sense of remorse, recognizing that her reckless behavior could have resulted in the loss of someone's life or even her own.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, and he recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, giving him the freedom to consume alcohol without any family responsibilities. He spent a day enjoying golf and drinks at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the night, other customers at the bar began to express worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He recalls saying to himself, "If I don't drive back, my wife will question me about the whereabouts of my car." He could have easily retrieved it the following morning without her knowing, as she wasn't present at the time.
However, with a strong determination to reach his house alone, he discreetly left the bar through the rear exit and began driving. Unfortunately, he was stopped by law enforcement during the extremely brief journey to his residence.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person in that band?" I replied, "Yes," Kelley shares. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to pull my car to the side and offered to drive me the remaining distance to my home. "He didn't issue me a citation or anything. I was amazed and relieved," he adds.
However, the occurrence served as a realization for Kelley, prompting him to acknowledge the importance of informing his wife about what had transpired.
"I felt overwhelmed and decided to give up. It was tiring. I had just been stopped by the police, and it felt like I had come close to completely destroying my life. It also caused a lot of trouble for the band," the vocalist explains. They add that it would have resulted in negative publicity, which would have been terrible.
He made a firm decision to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months without it, but eventually relapsed and returned to his previous drinking habits. It took him another year to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to staying sober.
Following his time in rehabilitation, it didn't take long for Kelly, a member of the country trio Lady A, to share his struggles with alcohol with their fans. The band was transparent with their fanbase about the decision to postpone their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's newfound sobriety. The choice to be honest about this matter was made by Kelley himself, while his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed alternative explanations for the tour delay.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she was about to do was incredibly difficult. Instead of taking the easy way out and continuing to drink and destroy everything, she chose to face her challenges head on. She realized that she was grateful for this opportunity and that was the moment she decided to share her story. Since then, it has gained momentum in a positive and beneficial manner.
Here is a list of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have compiled a collection of 11 great country songs that revolve
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