Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, there is one specific incident that he has not previously discussed: the time he came close to receiving a DUI for driving under the influence.
Kelley, in an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her Heart of the Matter podcast, 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 they were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where Kelley recognized the extreme foolishness and peril of their actions. Reflecting on the incident the following day, Kelley realized the grave consequences that could have occurred, including causing harm to others or even losing their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, and his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, giving him the freedom to consume as much alcohol as he desired without any familial responsibilities. Kelley spent a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night neared its end, fellow customers at the bar began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He recalls, "I thought to myself, if I didn't drive back, my wife would ask, 'Where's your car?' even though I could have easily gotten it the following morning. She wouldn't have been aware of it since she wasn't present."
However, with a strong resolve to return home alone, he managed to discreetly leave the bar through the rear exit and began driving towards his house. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the police during the brief journey back to his residence.
The police officer inspected my driver's license and inquired, "Are you the person from that band?" I replied affirmatively, saying "Yes." Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to pull my car to the side and kindly offered to drive me the remaining distance to my home. He did not issue me a ticket or any form of punishment. I was amazed and relieved, thinking to myself, "Wow, that was a close call."
However, the occurrence served as a realization for Kelley, prompting him to understand the importance of informing his wife about what had transpired.
The singer expressed their frustration by saying, "I reached a point where I felt completely worn out. I had just been stopped by the police, and I realized that I had come close to jeopardizing my entire life. Not only that, but I had also caused a lot of turmoil within the band. It would have undoubtedly resulted in negative media coverage, which would have been terrible."
He made a strong decision to stop consuming alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation. However, he eventually succumbed to his old habits of drinking. It took another year for him to finally seek help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to share his struggle with alcohol with Lady A fans. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the postponement of their 2022 Request Line Tour was to prioritize Kelley's fragile sobriety. Kelley himself made the decision to be honest about this situation. Meanwhile, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood had proposed finding alternative reasons for the band's decision to not go on tour.
Kelley expressed that she was not ashamed of her actions and wanted to be honest about them. She acknowledged that what she had done was incredibly difficult. She realized that the easy option would have been to continue drinking and let everything fall apart. However, she chose to be grateful for the situation she was in. This gratitude became a turning point for her, and she decided to start sharing her story. As a result, things have been progressing very positively for her.
Here is a collection of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. These artists have made the decision to abstain from alcohol and drugs, and their
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