Charles Kelley, member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal struggle with addiction and his path towards sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he has never addressed directly until recently. Kelley has revealed that he had a close encounter with getting a DUI when he was caught driving under the influence.
On Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he consumed alcohol, it frequently happened that he would have "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a single day, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were driving while under the influence. The distance they had to cover was only ten minutes, however, there were instances during the journey where they realized the extreme foolishness and danger of their actions. The following day, they reflected upon the situation and expressed deep regret, realizing that their reckless behavior could have resulted in the loss of someone's life, including their own.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with a DUI charge. It happened during the Christmas season, and his wife Cassie and son Ward were not in town for a few days, giving him the freedom to consume alcohol without any family responsibilities. He spent the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night was coming to an end, other customers at the bar began to express worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
"I thought to myself, if I don't drive back home, my wife will surely question me about the whereabouts of my car," he recalls. "Even though I could have retrieved it the following morning without her knowing, she wasn't present at that time."
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and departed in his vehicle. Unfortunately, during the brief journey to his house, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer examined 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 park my car and personally drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any form of punishment. I was amazed and relieved that I had narrowly escaped a serious consequence.
However, the incident served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had transpired.
The singer expresses their feelings by saying that they were tired and fed up with the situation. They had just been pulled over and it felt like their life was on the line. They were aware that their actions could have negatively affected the band's reputation. They were concerned about the potential negative media coverage that could have resulted from the incident.
After making a firm decision to quit drinking alcohol, he struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but unfortunately, he eventually relapsed and returned to his previous drinking habits. It took another year before he finally sought help and entered a rehabilitation program, where he wholeheartedly dedicated himself to achieving and maintaining
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to inform Lady A fans about his struggles 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 early stages of sobriety. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself. Meanwhile, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed devising alternative excuses for why the band was unable to embark on the tour.
Kelley expressed that she was not ashamed and wanted to be honest about her experiences, stating that what she was going through was the most challenging thing she had ever faced. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything, she decided to face her struggles head-on. She mentioned feeling grateful for her journey, which marked a turning point for her. This realization led her to start sharing her story, and she has since seen a positive and beneficial progression.
Here are 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have compiled a list of 11 great country songs that revolve around the theme
Additional content from Taste of Country can be found here. For more details and updates