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 while driving under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he consumed alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf, and then he would drive himself home.
Kelley confesses that they were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The journey lasted approximately 10 minutes, during which there were instances where Kelley realized the extreme foolishness and potential danger of their actions. After reflecting on the situation, Kelley expressed remorse, acknowledging the possibility of causing harm to others or even losing their own life.
On one 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. This gave him the freedom to drink as much as he desired without any familial responsibilities. He spent a day playing golf and consuming alcohol at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the evening, fellow customers began to worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
"And I thought to myself, 'If I don't drive back, my wife will ask me, 'Where's your car?'' Even though I could have retrieved it the following morning. She wouldn't have been aware since she wasn't present," he recalls.
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and departed in his car. Unfortunately, while he was only a short distance away from his house, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person from that band?" I responded, "Yes." Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to park my car and offered to drive me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any penalties. I was amazed and relieved by the fortunate turn of events.
Nevertheless, the occurrence served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to understand the importance of informing his spouse about what had transpired.
The singer expressed feeling completely worn out and exasperated. They had just been pulled over, and the incident had the potential to completely sabotage their life and bring negative attention to the band. The singer recognized that it would have been terrible for their public image and caused a lot of chaos.
He made a promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the urge, but eventually fell back into his old habits. It took another year for him to finally seek help and fully dedicate himself to a sober lifestyle.
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take Kelly much time to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that they postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour to prioritize Kelley's newfound sobriety. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself, while his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed creating alternative reasons for the tour's delay.
"I firmly stated, 'No, let's be truthful… I don't feel any shame about this… This is the most difficult thing I have ever done.'" Kelley explains. "The easier option would have been to continue drinking and destroy everything completely. I expressed my gratitude for this situation," Kelley continues. "And that was the moment when I realized, 'Okay, I suppose I'm going to share it now.' So, it has gradually gained momentum in a very positive and beneficial manner."
Here is a compilation of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. These individuals have made the decision to abstain from alcohol or drug use and are
Additional content from Taste of Country can be found here. For more details and updates