Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has openly shared his personal struggle with alcohol addiction. However, there is one particular incident that he has never openly discussed until recently. This incident involves the time when he was dangerously close to receiving a DUI charge while driving under the influence.
Kelley revealed during his interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast that he frequently consumed "four or five drinks" while playing golf, and would then proceed to 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, Kelley acknowledges that there were instances during the drive where she realized the extreme foolishness and riskiness of her actions. The following day, Kelley reflects on the situation with a sense of remorse, realizing the potential consequences of her reckless behavior, such as causing harm to others or even losing her own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close encounter with being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, and he recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days. This allowed Kelley to consume as much alcohol as he desired without having any responsibilities towards his family. He spent a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the evening, other customers at the bar began to show worry about whether Kelley intended to drive back 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 gotten it the next morning and she wouldn't have known since she wasn't there," he recalls.
However, with a strong determination to go back home alone, he quietly left through the rear exit of the bar and started driving away. Unfortunately, during the brief distance he had to cover to reach his house, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer checked my driver's license and asked if I was the person from that 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 pull over my car and offered to drive me home. He didn't give me a ticket or any sort of punishment. I was amazed and relieved that I escaped a potentially serious situation.
However, the incident served as a reminder that Kelley needed to inform his spouse about the situation that had occurred.
The singer expressed their feeling of being completely exhausted after a recent incident where they were pulled over. They felt that their actions could have potentially ruined their life and caused a lot of trouble for the band. They were aware of the negative press that would have followed such an event.
He made a strong decision to stop consuming alcohol and struggled for three months, trying to resist the urge to drink. However, he eventually succumbed to his old habits of drinking. It took him another year to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to a sober lifestyle.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take long for Kelly to share his struggle with alcohol with Lady A fans. The country trio was transparent about the reason for postponing their 2022 Request Line Tour, which was to protect Kelley's newfound sobriety. It was Kelley's choice to be honest with their fanbase, while his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed using alternative explanations for why the band was not embarking on the tour.
"I told myself, 'No, let's be truthful… I have no shame in this… This is the most difficult thing I have ever done.'" Kelley explains. "Choosing the easy way out would have been to continue drinking and destroy everything. I said, 'I am thankful for this.'" Kelley continues. "… And that was the moment when I realized, 'Okay, I suppose I am opening up about it now.' So it has gradually gained momentum in a very positive and beneficial manner."
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