In a recent revelation, Charles Kelley from the band Lady A opened up about his personal struggle with alcohol and the path he took towards sobriety. He admitted to an incident that he had never publicly addressed before, which was the time when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI while driving under the influence of alcohol.
In an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her podcast Heart of the Matter, Kelley confesses that when he was drinking, it became a regular situation for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf and then proceed to drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Although the journey only lasted for 10 minutes, there were instances where she realized the foolishness and hazardous nature of her actions. Reflecting on the situation the following day, Kelley was struck by the realization that her reckless behavior could have resulted in the loss of someone's life, including her own.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season, he recalls, when his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days. This gave him the freedom to drink as much as he desired without any familial responsibilities. He spent the day playing golf and consuming alcohol at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the evening, fellow customers began to worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He recalls thinking to himself, "If I don't drive back, my wife will definitely ask me, 'Where's your car?' even though I could have easily retrieved it the next morning without her knowing since she wasn't present."
However, with a strong resolve to reach his home alone, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and departed in his vehicle. Within a brief distance on his way back to his house, he was stopped by law enforcement.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked, "Are you the person from that band?" I responded 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 a ticket or any penalties. I was surprised and relieved, thinking, "Wow, that was a close call."
However, the occurrence served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about the incident.
The singer expresses feeling completely exhausted and fed up, stating that they were ready to give up. They had just been pulled over, which was a close call that could have potentially ruined their life. This incident had caused a lot of chaos and trouble for the band. The singer acknowledges that it would have resulted in terrible publicity.
He made a promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually relapsed into his old habits of drinking. It took another year for him to finally seek help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his time in rehabilitation, it didn't take long for Kelly to share his struggles 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 early stages of sobriety. It was Kelley's choice to be honest about the situation. However, his bandmates, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, proposed finding alternative explanations for why the band would not be embarking on the tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she was about to do was the most difficult thing she had ever done. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything in her life, she chose to be honest and grateful for her situation. This realization was a turning point for her, leading her to decide to share her experience. Since then, it has gained momentum in a positive and beneficial manner.
Here is a compilation of 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. These artists have made the decision to abstain from alcohol and drugs, prioritizing
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