Charles Kelley, a member of the band Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his path to sobriety. However, there is one event that he has never addressed directly until recently: the moment when he came dangerously close to receiving a DUI for driving under the influence.
Kelley confessed in an interview with Elizabeth Vargas on her podcast, Heart of the Matter, that he frequently consumed a substantial amount of alcohol while playing golf. It became a regular habit for him to consume "four or five drinks" during a single day on the golf course, and he would then proceed to drive himself back home.
Kelley confesses that they were driving under the influence while heading home. Despite it being a short 10-minute drive, there were instances where Kelley recognized the immense stupidity and danger of their actions. The following day, they realized the potential consequences of their recklessness, understanding that they could have caused harm to others or even lost their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with driving under the influence (DUI). It happened during the Christmas season, and he distinctly recalls that his wife Cassie and son Ward were away for a few days, giving him the freedom to drink as much as he pleased without any familial responsibilities. Kelley spent the day playing golf and indulging in drinks at a nearby bar. As the night neared its end, fellow customers began expressing worry about whether Kelley intended to drive back home.
"I thought to myself, if I don't drive back, my wife will question where my car is, even though I could have easily picked it up the next morning without her knowing since she wasn't there," he recalls.
However, with a strong resolve to return home alone, he discreetly left through the rear exit of the bar and departed in his vehicle. Unfortunately, he was stopped by law enforcement during the extremely brief journey to his residence.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked if I was the person from 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 offered to drive me home. He didn't issue me any tickets or penalties. I was in awe and relieved that I had escaped from potential trouble.
However, the occurrence served as a reminder for Kelley that he needed to inform his spouse about what had transpired.
"I felt completely drained and decided that I had reached my limit. It was such a tiring experience. I had just been stopped by the police and it was a moment that could have had severe consequences for my life. Not to mention, it would have caused a lot of trouble for the band and generated negative publicity," the vocalist adds.
He made a promise to himself to stop drinking alcohol and struggled for three months to resist the temptation. However, he eventually fell back into his previous habits of drinking. It took him another year to finally seek help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take Kelly much time to disclose his struggle with alcohol to Lady A fans. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that the main reason for postponing their 2022 Request Line Tour was to ensure Kelley's ongoing recovery. This decision to be open about his sobriety was made solely by Kelley himself. While Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood proposed coming up with alternative explanations for the tour delay, Kelley opted for honesty.
Kelley stated that she firmly rejected the idea of hiding or feeling ashamed about her actions. She believed that acknowledging her struggles and facing them head-on was the most difficult task she had ever undertaken. Instead of taking the easy route of continuing to consume alcohol and letting her life fall apart, she chose to confront her problems. Kelley expressed gratitude for this decision, which marked a significant turning point in her life. It was at that moment that she realized she was ready to share her story with others. Since then, her journey has gained momentum in an extremely positive and beneficial manner.
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