Charles Kelley, a member of 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. Kelley has now revealed that there was a time when he was on the verge of receiving a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he was drinking, it became a regular thing for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf and then drive back home.
Kelley confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the journey, there were instances where she realized the extreme foolishness and perilous nature of her actions. The following day, she reflected on the situation and realized the potential consequences of her actions, acknowledging that she could have caused harm to someone else or even lost her own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened during Christmas time, and he recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, which gave him the freedom to drink 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 thinking, "If I don't go back home by driving, my wife will ask me where my car is." Even though he could have retrieved it the following morning without her knowing as she wasn't present.
However, with a strong determination to make his way home alone, he discreetly exited through the rear of the establishment and proceeded to drive away. However, his journey back to his residence was brief as he was subsequently stopped by law enforcement.
The police officer glanced at my driver's license and asked me if I was the person from that band. I confirmed that I was indeed part of the band. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to park my car and kindly offered to drive me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any penalty. I was amazed and relieved that I had escaped trouble with the law.
However, the incident served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had occurred.
The singer expresses their feeling of being completely worn out and fed up. They explain that they had just been stopped by the police, and the situation could have potentially had a detrimental impact on their life. Additionally, they acknowledge that it would have generated negative publicity for their band, causing a lot of disorder and problems.
He made a firm decision to quit drinking and struggled for three months without it, but eventually found himself falling back into his old habits. It took another year before he finally decided to seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to staying sober.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take Kelly much time to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country group was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the postponement of their 2022 Request Line Tour was to ensure Kelley's newfound sobriety was protected. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself. While Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood proposed creating different explanations for the band's tour delay.
"I firmly expressed that I had no shame in admitting that what I was about to do was the most challenging thing I have ever faced. Taking the easy way out would have been to continue drinking and destroy everything in my life. Instead, I acknowledged my gratitude for the situation, and that was when I realized it was time to share my experience. Since then, it has gained momentum in a very positive and beneficial manner."
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