Charles Kelley, a member of the country band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal journey towards sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he had not previously discussed: the moment when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he was consuming alcohol, it became a regular thing for him to have "four or five drinks" while playing golf, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. They mention that the journey home lasted around 10 minutes, but there were instances where they recognized the extreme foolishness and potential peril of their actions. Reflecting on the incident the following day, Kelley realizes the gravity of the situation, acknowledging that they could have caused harm to others or even lost 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 he recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, giving him the freedom to consume alcohol without any familial responsibilities. He spent the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. As the night came to a close, fellow customers began to worry about whether or not Kelley intended to drive home.
The person recalls a situation where they thought about driving back home because they were worried about what their wife would think if they didn't have their car. However, they realized that they could have easily retrieved the car the next morning without their wife even noticing because she wasn't there at the time.
However, with a strong determination to return home alone, he quietly left through the rear exit of the bar and departed in his vehicle. Within a brief distance, as he was driving back to his house, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer checked my driver's license and asked if I was the person in that band. I confirmed that I was. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer asked me to park my car and drove me all the way home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any form of punishment. I was amazed and relieved that I had narrowly avoided a serious consequence.
However, the occurrence served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about the situation that had taken place.
The singer expresses that they felt completely overwhelmed and exhausted in the moment. They had just been pulled over and realized that their actions could have potentially caused severe damage to their life as well as created chaos for the band. They were well aware that such incidents would have undoubtedly resulted in negative publicity.
He made a firm decision to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually fell back into his old habits of drinking. It took him an additional year to finally seek professional help and completely dedicate himself to maintaining a sober lifestyle.
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 they postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's fragile sobriety. Kelley made the decision to be honest about his situation. Meanwhile, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, had initially proposed using different excuses to explain the band's absence from the tour.
"I firmly stated that I have no shame in admitting this: what I have done is the most challenging thing I have ever faced. The easier path would have been to continue drinking and destroy everything in my life. However, I expressed my gratitude for this experience. It was at that moment that I realized I should share my story. Consequently, it has gained momentum in a positive and beneficial manner."
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, stay