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 event that he has never addressed directly until recently: the moment when 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 used to consume alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a day, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were driving under the influence while heading home. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where they realized the extreme foolishness and danger of their actions. The following day, Kelley deeply regretted their choices, realizing the potential harm they could have caused to others or even themselves.
On a specific instance, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened 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 as much alcohol as he desired without any familial responsibilities. He spent the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the evening, other customers began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive back home.
"I thought to myself, 'If I don't drive back, my wife will ask, 'Where's your car?'' Even though I could have picked it up the next morning. She wouldn't have been aware of it because she wasn't present," he explains.
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he quietly exited the rear of the establishment and proceeded to drive away. Unfortunately, during the brief journey back to his residence, 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 affirmatively. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to park my car and offered to drive me home. To my surprise, he didn't issue me a ticket or any penalties. I was truly relieved and grateful for avoiding any consequences.
However, the incident served as a moment of realization for Kelley. He understood the importance of informing his wife about what had transpired.
The singer expressed their feeling of being completely drained and overwhelmed. They mentioned that they recently got stopped by the authorities, which made them realize that they had almost made a terrible mistake that could have negatively impacted their life and caused a lot of trouble for their band. They acknowledged that it would have resulted in extremely negative attention from the media.
He made a firm decision to stop consuming alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually relapsed into his previous drinking habits. It took him another year before he finally sought professional help and fully dedicated himself to a life of sobriety.
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 supporters, explaining that the main reason they postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour was to ensure Kelley's newfound sobriety was safeguarded. Kelley made the decision to be honest about this matter. Meanwhile, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, had proposed creating alternative explanations for why the band wasn't embarking on tour.
Kelley expressed that she was not ashamed of her actions and acknowledged that what she had done was extremely difficult. She could have chosen the easier path of continuing to drink and destroying everything in her life, but instead, she chose to face her problems head-on. She realized that she was grateful for the experience, which marked a turning point for her. This realization led her to decide to share her story, and 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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