Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has openly shared his personal struggles and path to sobriety with his fans. However, there's one particular incident that he had never discussed before, until recently. Kelley revealed that there was a time when he came dangerously 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 consumed alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf and then proceed to drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the drive, Kelley recalls experiencing several instances where they realized the extreme foolishness and immense danger of their actions. The following day, Kelley reflects on the seriousness of the situation, expressing remorse and acknowledging the potential consequences of their reckless behavior, including the possibility of causing harm to others or even losing their own life.
On one specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with getting charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, and he vividly recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days. This meant he had no family responsibilities and could freely consume as much alcohol as he desired. Kelley spent the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night drew to a close, fellow bar-goers began expressing worry regarding Kelley's intention to drive back home.
"I thought to myself, if I don't drive back, my wife will wonder where my car is," he recalls. "Even though I could have easily picked it up the next morning without her knowing, since she wasn't there."
However, with a strong resolve to reach home alone, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and began driving away. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the police during the extremely brief journey back to his house.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked if I was the person from that band. I confirmed and he didn't arrest me for driving under the influence. Instead, he asked me to pull my vehicle to the side of the road and personally drove me home. He didn't issue any ticket or penalty. I was amazed and relieved that I had escaped a potentially troublesome situation.
However, the incident served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had transpired.
"I felt completely worn out and overwhelmed. I had just been stopped by the police, and it was a close call that could have potentially ruined my life. On top of that, it caused a lot of trouble for the band. It would have been terrible for our reputation, naturally," the vocalist adds.
He made a strong promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and tried his best to resist the temptation for three months, but unfortunately, he eventually fell back into his old habits of drinking. It took another year before he finally decided to seek professional help and fully dedicated himself to living a sober lifestyle.
Following his time in rehabilitation, it didn't take long for Kelly to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio decided to be transparent with their fanbase and openly discussed how they had postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. The decision to be honest about this situation was made by Kelley himself. While his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, initially proposed using alternative explanations for the tour's delay, they ultimately supported Kelley's choice.
Kelley expressed her lack of shame and honesty about her experience, stating that it was the most difficult thing she had ever done. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything, she expressed gratitude for her situation. This moment marked a turning point for her, leading her to share her story. As a result, things have progressed in a very positive and beneficial manner.
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