Charles Kelley, a member of Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, there was one particular incident that he had never addressed before: the moment when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on the Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he used to consume alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf and then drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were driving under the influence while heading home. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where they realized the extreme foolishness and potential danger of their actions. Reflecting on the situation the following day, Kelley expressed deep remorse, acknowledging that their reckless behavior could have resulted in causing harm to someone else or even costing them their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with driving under the influence. It happened during the Christmas season, and he recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, which gave him the opportunity to consume alcohol without any familial responsibilities. He spent a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night neared its conclusion, fellow customers at the bar began expressing worries about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He explains, "I thought to myself, 'If I don't go back home now, my wife will ask me, 'Where's your car?'' Even though I could have picked it up the next day. She wouldn't have been aware of it. She wasn't present."
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he discreetly exited the bar through the rear exit and departed in his car. Unfortunately, during his brief journey back to his residence, he was stopped by law enforcement.
Kelley shares that when the police officer examined his license, he questioned whether Kelley was the person from the band. Kelley confirmed his identity, and instead of arresting him for driving under the influence, the officer instructed him to stop his car and personally drove him home. Kelley expresses his surprise and relief at not receiving a ticket, exclaiming, "I can't believe I got away with it!"
However, the incident served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to understand the importance of informing his wife about what had occurred.
The singer expresses their feeling of being completely worn out and fed up. They explain how they recently got pulled over and it was a near-disaster that could have had serious consequences for their life and caused a lot of trouble for the band. They acknowledge that it would have resulted in negative publicity, which would have been extremely unfortunate.
He made a promise to himself to stop consuming alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually relapsed into his previous drinking habits. It took an additional year for him to finally seek help and wholeheartedly dedicate himself to a sober lifestyle.
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to reveal to Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase regarding the decision to postpone their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. This choice to be honest was made by Kelley himself, whereas his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed using alternative explanations for the band's absence from the tour.
Kelley expressed that she was not ashamed of her actions and found it important to be honest about her experience. She acknowledged that it was difficult for her, but she refused to take the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything in her life. Instead, she chose to be grateful for the challenges she faced, which marked a turning point for her. As a result, she decided to share 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 center around the theme of
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