Charles Kelley, a member of the 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 openly until recently. This incident involved Charles almost getting a DUI while driving under the influence.
In an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her Heart of the Matter podcast, Kelley confesses that when he consumed 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 they were driving under the influence while heading home. Although the journey only took 10 minutes, there were instances where they realized the extreme foolishness and potential danger of their actions. The following day, they realized the gravity of the situation and acknowledged that they could have caused harm to someone else 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 was coming to an end, fellow customers began expressing worry about Kelley's intentions of driving home.
He recalls saying, "I thought to myself, if I don't drive back, my wife will ask me where my car is." He could have easily retrieved it the next morning without her knowing because she wasn't present.
However, with the strong determination to reach home alone, he quietly left the rear exit of the establishment and proceeded to drive away. Unfortunately, he was stopped by law enforcement during the brief journey back to his residence.
The police officer checked my driver's license and asked if I was the person in 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 sort of penalty. I was amazed and relieved that I had narrowly escaped a potentially serious situation.
However, the occurrence served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to realize that he needed to inform his spouse about the incident.
The singer expressed feeling overwhelmed and tired after being pulled over and fearing that they had almost ruined their life. They were also concerned about the negative impact it could have on the band's reputation.
After making a firm decision to quit drinking, he managed to abstain from alcohol for three months through sheer determination. However, he eventually found himself falling back into his previous drinking habits. It took him another year to finally seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country group was transparent with their loyal supporters, explaining that they had postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize 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 alternative explanations for why the band was not 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 faced. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything, she decided to embrace gratitude for her situation. This shift in mindset marked a turning point for her, leading her to decide to share her experience. As a result, her decision to share has had a positive and beneficial impact, gradually gaining momentum.
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
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