Charles Kelley, a member of Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he has never addressed directly until recently. He has now revealed the story of how 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 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 driving home while under the influence of alcohol. Although the drive only took 10 minutes, there were instances where they realized the extreme foolishness and danger of their actions. The following day, Kelley reflects on the incident and realizes the potential harm they could have caused, both to others and to themselves.
On a specific occasion, Kelley narrowly avoided being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, when his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, granting him the freedom to consume alcohol without any familial responsibilities. Kelley enjoyed a day of golf and drinks at a nearby bar. As the night drew to a close, fellow customers began to express 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," he recalls. "Even though I could have retrieved it the following morning without her knowing since she wasn't there."
However, with a strong resolve to return home by himself, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the establishment and began driving away. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the police during the incredibly brief journey back to his residence.
The police officer inspected my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person in that band?" I replied affirmatively, saying, "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 any tickets or penalties. I was amazed and relieved, thinking, "Wow, I narrowly escaped a major problem."
However, the incident served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had transpired.
The singer expresses their exhaustion and frustration after a recent incident where they were pulled over, feeling like they almost jeopardized their life and caused a lot of trouble for their band. They acknowledge that it would have resulted in negative publicity, which they wanted to avoid.
He made a strong decision to give up alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually fell back into his old habits of drinking. It took him another year to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to living a sober life.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take long for Kelly to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio openly shared with their fanbase that they decided to postpone their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's newfound sobriety. It was Kelley himself who made the decision to be honest about the situation. While his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed finding alternative reasons for the band's tour delay.
"I firmly stated, 'No, let's be truthful… I have no shame in this… This is the most difficult task I have ever undertaken.' Taking the easy way out would have involved continuing to drink and destroying everything in my life. I expressed gratitude for this experience," Kelley recounts. "… And that was when I realized, 'Alright, I suppose I'm going to share it now.' So, it has gradually gained momentum in a very positive and beneficial manner."
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