Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal struggle with sobriety. However, there's one specific event that he has never addressed directly before now. He recently revealed that there was a time when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI after driving while under the influence.
In an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her podcast, "Heart of the Matter," Kelley confesses that when he was consuming alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Although the journey only took 10 minutes, there were instances where she realized the extreme foolishness and danger of her actions. The following day, she reflected on the situation and came to the realization that she could have caused harm to someone else or even lost her own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with driving under the influence. It happened during the Christmas season, and he recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, which meant he had no family responsibilities. He took advantage of this freedom by indulging in as much alcohol as he desired, while spending the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the night, fellow 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, 'Where is your car?'' even though I could have easily retrieved it the next morning. She wouldn't have been aware of it since she wasn't present," he recalls.
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he discreetly exited the rear exit of the bar and departed in his vehicle. Within a brief distance of driving towards his residence, he was stopped by law enforcement.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person in that band?" I replied, "Yes." 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 penalties. I was amazed and relieved that I had narrowly escaped a potentially serious situation.
However, the situation served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to understand the urgency of informing his spouse about the incident.
The singer expressed their feeling of frustration and exhaustion, stating that they had reached a point where they were ready to give up. They had recently been pulled over by the authorities, and this incident had the potential to have severe consequences and negatively impact their life. Additionally, the singer acknowledged that this situation would have generated negative publicity for their band, which would have been highly undesirable.
He made a strong decision to stop consuming alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually relapsed into his previous drinking habits. It took him another year before he finally sought professional help and fully dedicated himself to achieving sobriety.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take much time for Kelly to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio made it known to their fanbase that they had postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's early stages of sobriety. Kelley himself made the choice to be honest about this matter. On the other hand, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed creating alternative explanations for why the band wouldn't be embarking on tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she was about to say was the most difficult thing she had ever done. She acknowledged that it would have been easier to continue drinking and let everything in her life fall apart. However, she chose to be grateful for her situation, which marked a turning point for her. This decision led her to share her experience, and she has found that it has had a positive and beneficial impact on her life.
Here is a list of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have compiled a collection of 11 great country songs that revolve
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