Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal struggle with alcohol and his journey towards sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he had never openly discussed until recently. He has now revealed that there was a time when he came very close to getting a DUI while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Kelley confesses in an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her Heart of the Matter podcast 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 back home.
Kelley confesses to driving while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short distance of the drive being only 10 minutes, there were instances where Kelley realized the extreme foolishness and danger of their actions. Reflecting on the incident the following day, Kelley deeply regretted the potential consequences, acknowledging that they could have caused harm or even lost their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with driving under the influence. It occurred 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 familial responsibilities. He spent a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar, and as the night neared its end, fellow customers began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive himself home.
He recalls, "I thought to myself, if I don't drive back, my wife will wonder where my car is, even though I could have easily retrieved it the next morning without her knowing since she wasn't there."
However, with a strong resolve to return home alone, he managed to discreetly exit the bar through the backdoor and proceeded to drive away. Unfortunately, during the brief journey back to his residence, he was stopped by law enforcement.
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 over and personally drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or anything. I was amazed and relieved that I had avoided a potentially serious consequence.
However, the incident served as a moment of realization for Kelley, prompting him to understand the urgency of informing his wife about what had occurred.
The singer expressed feeling completely exhausted and overwhelmed after a recent incident where they were pulled over by the police. They believed that their actions could have potentially caused a lot of trouble and negative attention for the band.
He made a firm decision to stop consuming alcohol and struggled to resist the temptation for three months, but eventually relapsed into his previous drinking habits. It took him another year to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to a sober lifestyle.
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 to ensure Kelley's recovery was prioritized. The decision to be honest about this situation was made by Kelley himself, while his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, had proposed coming up with alternative reasons for the tour delay.
Kelley expressed that she was not ashamed of the difficult challenge she was facing. She acknowledged that it would have been easier to continue down a destructive path, but instead, she chose to be grateful for the situation. This shift in perspective marked a turning point for her, leading her to decide to share her experience. As a result, her decision to open up about her struggles has had a positive and beneficial impact on her life.
Here is a compilation of 18 country artists who have embraced sobriety. These talented musicians have chosen to lead a life free from the influence of drugs or alcohol.
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