Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, he has never directly discussed an incident until recently. Kelley disclosed that there was a time when he came 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 consumed alcohol, it became a regular habit for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a single day, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley openly confesses that she was operating a vehicle while under the influence. Despite the fact that the journey only lasted for approximately 10 minutes, there were instances during the drive where she realized the extreme foolishness and potential danger of her actions. The following day, she was struck with the realization that her reckless behavior could have resulted in the loss of someone else's life or even her own.
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 a day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar, and as the night neared its end, fellow customers began to express worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
"I thought to myself, if I don't drive back, my wife will surely 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 present."
However, with a strong determination to get back home alone, he managed to secretly leave the bar through the rear exit and drove off. Unfortunately, during the extremely brief journey to his house, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer checked my driver's license and asked if I was the person from that band. I confirmed that I was, and instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to stop my car and drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or any punishment. I was amazed and relieved that I had avoided a serious consequence.
Nevertheless, the occurrence served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to recognize the necessity of informing his spouse about the incident.
The singer expressed feeling exhausted and overwhelmed after a recent incident where they were pulled over. They believed that their actions could have potentially ruined their life and caused chaos within the band. They were aware that the negative publicity resulting from the incident would have been terrible.
He made a promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation, but eventually succumbed to his old habits. It took another year for him to finally seek help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his stint in rehabilitation, it didn't take much time for Kelly to share his struggle with alcohol with Lady A fans. The country trio was transparent about the fact that they postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's early recovery. This decision to be open and honest about his sobriety journey was made by Kelley himself. Meanwhile, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, his bandmates, had proposed offering alternative reasons for the band's tour delay.
"I expressed that there was no shame in being honest about my experience. This was the most difficult thing I have ever done, but instead of taking the easy way out and continuing to drink and destroy everything, I chose to be grateful for the situation. This gratitude became a turning point for me, leading me to decide to share my story. As a result, it has gained momentum in a positive and beneficial manner."
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