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 specific occurrence that he has never addressed directly until recently. He has now revealed that 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 consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses to having driven home while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where Kelley realized the extreme foolishness and perilous nature of their actions. The following day, Kelley reflects on the potentially fatal consequences of their reckless behavior, realizing that they could have caused harm to both others and themselves.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close encounter with being charged with driving under the influence (DUI). It happened during the Christmas season, and Kelley recollects that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, giving him the freedom to drink without any familial responsibilities. He spent a day playing golf and consuming alcohol at a nearby bar. As the night neared its end, fellow customers at the bar began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
"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 there," 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 vehicle. Unfortunately, during the brief journey to his house, he was stopped by law enforcement.
The police officer glanced at 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 kindly drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any punishment. I was amazed and relieved by this fortunate turn of events.
However, the occurrence served as a stark reminder for Kelley, prompting him to realize that he needed to inform his spouse about the incident.
"I felt completely drained and decided that I had reached my limit. I had just been stopped by the police, and it was a close call that could have had severe consequences for me. The incident caused a lot of turmoil for the band, and it would have definitely generated negative publicity, which is something we want to avoid," elaborates the vocalist.
He made a promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually relapsed and returned to his old drinking habits. It took him another year before he finally sought help and fully dedicated himself to overcoming his addiction and maintaining 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 the primary reason for postponing their 2022 Request Line Tour was to ensure Kelley's newfound sobriety was protected. This decision to be open and honest about his journey was solely made by Kelley himself. Meanwhile, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed creating alternative explanations for why the band couldn't proceed with the tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she was going through was the most difficult thing she had ever faced. Instead of taking the easy route of continuing to drink and destroying everything in her life, she made the conscious decision to be honest and face her challenges. Kelley acknowledged that she was grateful for this turning point, which led her to share her experiences. As a result, her decision to open up about her struggles has had a positive and beneficial impact on her life.
Here's 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 touch upon
Additional content available from Taste of Country. Find out more about our offerings by following