Charles Kelley, a 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 incident that he has never directly discussed until recently. Kelley revealed that there was a time when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI while he was behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he was consuming alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a single day, and then proceed to drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that she was under the influence while driving back home. Despite the short duration of the journey, there were instances where she realized the extreme stupidity and danger of her actions. The following day, she reflected on the situation and realized the potential consequences, acknowledging that she could have caused harm to someone else or even lost her own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close encounter with being charged with driving under the influence. It happened during the Christmas season, and he recalls that his wife, Cassie, and their 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, fellow customers began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive back home.
The person recalls how they thought to themselves, "If I don't drive back, my wife will ask me where my car is." Even though they could have picked it up the following morning and she wouldn't have known because she wasn't there.
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he secretly left through the rear exit of the bar and began driving away. Within a brief distance from the bar, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer inspected my driver's license and asked if I was the person from the 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 on the side of the road and offered to drive me home. Surprisingly, he didn't issue me a ticket or take any further action. I was amazed and relieved that I had avoided any consequences for my actions.
However, the incident served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about the situation that had occurred.
The singer expressed their feeling of exhaustion and frustration, stating that they had reached a point where they wanted to give up. They had recently been pulled over by the police, and this incident had the potential to significantly damage their life and cause trouble for the band. They acknowledged that the negative publicity resulting from such an event would have been terrible.
After making a firm decision to quit drinking, he abstained from alcohol for three months through sheer determination. However, he eventually relapsed and fell back into his previous drinking habits. It took another year before he finally sought professional help and wholeheartedly dedicated himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his time in 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 safeguard Kelley's newfound sobriety. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself. His fellow band members, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, had initially proposed offering alternative explanations for the band's absence on tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame and was being honest about her experience, which she considered to be the most difficult thing she had ever done. She acknowledged that the easy option would have been to continue drinking and destroy everything. However, she chose to be grateful for her situation, which marked a turning point for her. As a result, she decided to share her story, and it has since gained positive momentum.
Here is a list of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have compiled a collection of 11 great country songs that revolve
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