Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he has never discussed until recently: the moment when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her 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 in a single day, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the journey, there were instances where Kelley acknowledged the extreme recklessness and foolishness of their actions. Reflecting on the incident the following day, Kelley realized the potential consequences, expressing remorse for the possibility of causing harm to others or even losing their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, and his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days. This meant that Kelley had the freedom to consume as much alcohol as he desired without any responsibilities towards his family. He spent a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the evening, fellow customers began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He recalls a situation where he had a thought that if he didn't drive back, his wife would question him about the location of his car. Even though he could have retrieved it the next day without her knowing, as she wasn't present.
However, with a strong determination to make the journey back to his house alone, he quietly exited through the rear exit of the bar and departed in his car. Unfortunately, during the brief distance he covered on his way home, he was stopped by law enforcement.
The police officer glanced at 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 over, and he personally drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any form of punishment. I was amazed and relieved, thinking, "Wow, I narrowly avoided a major problem."
However, the situation served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his wife about what had occurred.
The singer expressed their exhaustion and frustration after getting pulled over, feeling like they had almost caused a major setback in their life and created chaos for the band. They were aware of the negative publicity it would have generated.
He made a promise to himself to stop consuming alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation. However, he eventually relapsed and fell back into his previous drinking habits. It took him another year to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take long for Kelly to inform 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 necessary to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. This choice to be open and honest was made by Kelley himself. His fellow band members, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, had initially proposed using alternative explanations for the band's absence on tour.
"I expressed that I had no shame in admitting the truth, as this was the most difficult thing I had ever experienced. It would have been easier to continue drinking and destroy everything. However, I acknowledged my gratitude for this challenge," Kelley explains. "That moment marked a turning point, where I realized that I was ready to share my story. Since then, it has 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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