Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal struggle with alcoholism and his path to sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he has not previously discussed openly: the moment when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI after 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 frequent habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a day and then drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that she was under the influence of alcohol while driving back home. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where she realized the extreme stupidity and danger of her actions. The following day, she reflected on the situation and acknowledged the immense potential for causing harm, both to others and herself.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close encounter with a potential DUI charge. It happened during the Christmas season, and Kelley recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, which meant he had no family responsibilities. With this freedom, he indulged in drinking as much as he pleased. He spent a day playing golf and consuming alcohol at a nearby bar. As the night neared its end, fellow customers began expressing worries about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
"I thought to myself, 'If I don't drive back, my wife will 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," he explains.
However, he was determined to make his way home alone, so he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and started driving. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the police during the brief journey back to his house.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person from that band?" I replied affirmatively. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to park my car and drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any other penalties. I was amazed and relieved. It was a close call.
However, the occurrence served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to realize that he needed to inform his spouse about the incident.
The singer expressed their frustration and exhaustion after a recent incident where they were pulled over, which they believed could have had serious consequences and caused a lot of trouble for the band. They acknowledged that it would have resulted in negative media attention, which they wanted to avoid.
He made a firm decision to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually relapsed into his previous drinking habits. It took another year for him to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to living a sober life.
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 they had postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself. On the other hand, his bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood proposed finding alternative reasons for why the band was not embarking on tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame and wanted to be honest about something that she found extremely challenging. She acknowledged that the easy route 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 experience, and it has since grown positively and benefitted her.
Here is a compilation of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have listed 11 great country songs that revolve around the theme
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