Charles Kelley, member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal journey to sobriety. However, there is one particular event that he has never discussed directly until recently. Kelley has now revealed that there was a time when he came dangerously close to getting a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he was consuming alcohol, it became a regular thing for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf, 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 multiple instances where they realized the extreme recklessness and potential harm involved. The following day, Kelley reflects on the seriousness of their actions, realizing the grave consequences that could have occurred, including causing harm to others or even losing their own life.
On one specific occasion, Kelley came very close to being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, and his wife Cassie and son Ward were not in town for a few days. This gave Kelley the freedom to drink as much as he pleased without any familial responsibilities. He spent the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the night, other customers at the bar began to worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He recalls, "I thought to myself, if I didn't drive back, my wife would ask me where my car is. Even though I could have retrieved it the following morning, she wouldn't have been aware since she wasn't present."
However, with a strong determination to make it back to his house on his own, he discreetly left the bar through the rear exit and proceeded to drive away. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the police within a very short distance from his home.
The police officer checked my driver's license and asked if I was the person in that band. I confirmed that I was indeed a member of the band. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to pull over and kindly drove me all the way home. He didn't issue me a ticket or take any further action. I was incredibly relieved and grateful for avoiding any consequences.
Nevertheless, the occurrence served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about the incident.
"I felt completely drained and overwhelmed. I had just been pulled over, and it felt like my whole life could have been ruined in that moment. It caused a lot of chaos for the band, and I knew it would have resulted in terrible publicity," explains 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 habits of drinking. It took him another year before he finally sought professional help and made a complete commitment to living a sober life.
Following his time in rehabilitation, it didn't take Kelly much time to share with Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that they postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. It was Kelley's personal choice to be honest about the situation, while his bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood had initially suggested offering alternative reasons for the tour delay.
"I refused to hide the truth and instead embraced it without shame. This was the most difficult challenge I've ever faced. It would have been easier to continue drinking and destroy everything in my life. However, I expressed gratitude for the situation, which marked a turning point for me. I realized that I was ready to share my experience with others. Since then, it has gained momentum in a very positive and beneficial manner."
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