Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal struggle with sobriety. However, there is one particular event that he had not previously addressed, until recently. Kelley has now revealed that there was a time when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI after driving while under the influence.
In an interview on Elizabeth Vargas' podcast called "Heart of the Matter," Kelley confesses that when he was drinking, it became a regular thing for him to consume "four or five drinks" while playing golf in a day, and then he would drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were under the influence of alcohol while driving back home. Despite the short duration of the drive, there were instances where they realized the extreme stupidity and danger of their actions. The following day, Kelley was overwhelmed with the realization that their recklessness could have resulted in the loss of someone's life, including their own.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close encounter with a DUI charge. It occurred 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. Kelley enjoyed a day of playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the night, fellow customers began expressing worry about his intention to drive back home.
"And I thought to myself, 'If I don't drive back, my wife will question me about where my car is.' Even though I could have retrieved it the following morning without her knowing since she wasn't present," he recalls.
However, with a strong determination to reach his home alone, he discreetly left the bar through the back exit and began driving away. Unfortunately, during his brief journey towards his house, he was stopped by law enforcement.
The police officer checked my driver's license and asked if I was the person from that band. I confirmed that I was. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to stop my car and personally drove me home. He didn't issue me a ticket or anything. I was amazed and relieved that I got away without any consequences.
However, the occurrence served as a sudden realization for Kelley, prompting him to understand that he needed to inform his spouse about the incident.
The singer expresses their feeling of being completely worn out and fed up. They had just been pulled over and realized that they had almost made a decision that could have had a detrimental impact on their life. This incident would have caused a lot of negative attention for the band, which they wanted to avoid at all costs.
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 habit of drinking. It took him another year before he finally decided to seek professional help and fully dedicated himself to staying sober.
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 was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the main reason for postponing their 2022 Request Line Tour was to prioritize Kelley's newly established sobriety. This decision to be honest was made by Kelley himself. His fellow band members, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, had initially proposed using different excuses to explain the band's absence from the tour.
Kelley expressed that she had no shame in admitting that what she had done was the most difficult thing she had ever gone through. Instead of taking the easy way out by continuing to drink and destroying everything, she chose to be honest and grateful for the situation. This change in perspective marked a turning point for her, and she decided to share her experience. As a result, things have been progressing in a positive and beneficial manner.
Here are 18 country artists who have chosen to live a sober lifestyle. Additionally, we have gathered 11 impressive country songs that revolve around the theme of getting arrested
Additional content from Taste of Country
Details
Stay connected with us