Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal struggle with sobriety. However, there is one specific event that he has not previously discussed: the time he came very close to receiving a DUI while 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 around "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a single day, and then proceed to drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Although the duration of the drive was only ten minutes, there were instances where Kelley realized the extreme foolishness and perilous nature of her actions. Reflecting on the situation the following day, Kelley was struck with the realization that she could have caused harm to others or even lost her 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, giving him the freedom to consume alcohol without any familial responsibilities. Kelley enjoyed a day of playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night drew to a close, fellow bar-goers began to worry about whether or not Kelley intended to drive himself home.
"And I thought to myself, 'If I don't drive back, my wife will ask, 'Where is your car?'', even though I could have picked it up the next morning. She wouldn't have been aware since she wasn't present," he recalls.
However, with a strong resolve to return home by himself, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and began driving away. In just a brief distance towards his house, he was stopped by the authorities.
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 stop my car and drove me the remaining distance to my house. He didn't issue me a ticket or anything. I was amazed and relieved that I had narrowly avoided a potentially serious consequence.
However, the occurrence served as a sudden realization for Kelley. He understood that he had an obligation to inform his wife about the incident.
The singer expressed their feeling of being completely exhausted and ready to give up. They had just been pulled over and felt like they had almost made a huge mistake that could have had a negative impact on their life and caused a lot of trouble for their band. They were well aware that it would have resulted in terrible publicity.
After making a promise to himself, he decided to give up drinking and struggled for three months to resist the temptation. However, he eventually fell back into his old habits of drinking. It took him another year before he finally decided to seek help and fully dedicate himself to staying sober.
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to disclose his struggle with alcohol to Lady A fans. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the postponement of their 2022 Request Line Tour was due to their commitment to safeguard Kelley's newfound sobriety. Kelley himself made the decision to be honest about the situation. On the other hand, his bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood initially proposed offering alternative reasons for the band's tour delay.
"I expressed that there was no need to hide the truth and that I am not ashamed of it. This has been the most challenging task I have ever tackled." Kelley explains. "Taking the easy way out would have been to continue drinking and destroy everything. I mentioned that I am grateful for this experience," Kelley continues. "That was when I realized that I should start sharing it. So, in a very positive and beneficial manner, it has gained momentum."
Here is a compilation of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have curated a list of 11 fantastic country songs that revolve
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