Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, there is one particular event that he has never discussed openly before. He recently revealed that he had a close encounter with a DUI when he was 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 have "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a single day, and then he would drive himself 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 hazardous nature of her actions. The following day, she experienced a sense of realization and remorse, understanding that her recklessness could have resulted in the loss of someone's life, including her own.
On one specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. This 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 alcohol without any family responsibilities. Kelley spent a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night was coming to an end, fellow customers at the bar began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
"I thought to myself, if I don't go back and drive my car, my wife will ask me where it is. Even though I could have easily picked it up the next morning without her knowing, since she wasn't there," he explains.
However, with a strong resolve to return home alone, he quietly exited through the rear exit of the establishment and departed in his vehicle. Unfortunately, he was stopped by law enforcement during his brief journey back to his residence.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person in that band?" I replied affirmatively, saying, "Yes." Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to pull my car over and personally drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any penalties. I was shocked and relieved by the outcome, thinking to myself, "Wow, that was a close call."
However, the occurrence served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had taken place.
The singer expresses their feeling of being completely worn out and fed up, stating that they are at the point of giving up. They explain that they were recently stopped by the authorities, which had a significant negative impact on their life. This incident caused a lot of trouble and commotion for the band, as it would have resulted in extremely negative publicity.
After making a promise to himself, he decided to quit drinking and managed to resist the temptation for three months through sheer determination. However, he eventually succumbed to his old habits of drinking. It took him another year before he finally sought professional help and fully dedicated himself to living a sober life.
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to disclose his struggles with alcohol to Lady A fans. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the primary reason for postponing their 2022 Request Line Tour was to safeguard Kelley's early stages of sobriety. Kelley himself made the decision to be honest about it. While Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood proposed using alternative explanations for the band's absence from the tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she was about to say was the most challenging thing she had ever done. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything around her, she made the decision to be honest. She mentioned feeling grateful for this experience, which marked a turning point for her. It was at that moment that she decided to share her story, and since then, it has gained momentum in a positive and beneficial manner.
Here is a list of 18 country artists who have embraced a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have compiled a collection of 11 fantastic country songs that revolve around the
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