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 had not previously discussed until recently. This incident involved him almost receiving a DUI for driving under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley acknowledges that when he consumed alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf and then proceed to drive himself home.
Kelley confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where she realized the extreme foolishness and danger of her actions. The following day, she had a realization that her reckless behavior could have resulted in the loss of someone's life, including her own.
On one specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with driving under the influence. It happened during the Christmas season, as he recalls, when his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, giving him the freedom to drink without any family responsibilities. Kelley enjoyed a day of playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night drew to a close, fellow patrons began expressing 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 next morning. She wouldn't have been aware, as 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 started driving away. Unfortunately, during the brief distance he covered to reach his house, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer glanced at my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person from that band?" Surprised, I replied, "Yes, that's me." Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to pull my car to the side of the road, and he drove me home for the remaining distance. He didn't issue me a ticket or any penalty. I was amazed and relieved, thinking, "Wow, I narrowly escaped a serious consequence."
Nevertheless, the incident served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to feel the need to inform his spouse about what had transpired.
The singer expressed feeling completely drained and ready to give up after a recent incident where they were pulled over. They believed that this incident had the potential to cause significant damage to their life as well as create turmoil within the band. It was clear that the singer was aware of the negative impact this incident could have on their public image.
He made a firm decision to quit drinking and endured three months of struggling without alcohol. However, he eventually relapsed and fell back into his old habits of drinking. It took him another year before he finally sought help and went to rehab, fully dedicating himself to a sober lifestyle.
Following his time in rehab, 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 regarding the postponement of their Request Line Tour in 2022, as they wanted to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself, while his bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood proposed alternative explanations for why the band was not embarking on the tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame and wanted to be honest about the fact that what she was going through was extremely difficult. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and self-destruct, she acknowledged her gratitude for the situation. This realization marked a turning point for her, and she decided to share her experiences. As a result, things have progressed 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 fantastic country songs that revolve
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