Charles Kelley, a member of Lady A, has been open and honest with his fans about his personal journey towards sobriety. However, there is one particular incident that he has never directly addressed until recently. Kelley has now revealed that there was a time when he came dangerously 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 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 of alcohol while heading home. Despite the short duration of the journey, there were instances where Kelley realized the extreme stupidity and danger of their actions. The following day, Kelley deeply regretted their decision, realizing the potential consequences of causing harm to others or even losing their own life.
On a specific occasion, Kelley had a close call with being charged with a DUI. It happened during the Christmas season when his wife Cassie and son Ward were away, giving him the freedom to consume alcohol without any responsibilities towards his family. He spent the day playing golf and drinking at a nearby bar. Towards the end of the night, other people at the bar began to worry about whether Kelley intended to drive home.
He recalls the situation when he thought to himself, "If I don't drive back, my wife will ask me where my car is." Even though he could have waited until the next morning to retrieve it, she wouldn't have been aware since she wasn't present.
However, with a strong resolve to return home alone, he quietly left the bar through the rear exit and began driving away. Incredibly, during the brief journey back to his residence, he was stopped by the police.
The police officer examined my driver's license and asked if I was the person from that band. I confirmed that I was indeed a member. Instead of arresting me for driving under the influence, the officer instructed me to park my car and kindly offered to drive me home. I was amazed that he didn't issue me a ticket or take any further action. I exclaimed, "Wow, that was a close call!"
However, the occurrence served as a moment of realization for Kelley. He acknowledged the need to inform his spouse about the incident.
The singer expresses their feelings by saying that they were completely worn out and had reached a point where they felt they couldn't go on any longer. They had just been stopped by the authorities, and this incident had the potential to have a drastic negative impact on their life. Additionally, they believed that it would have caused a lot of negative attention for the band, which would have been detrimental to their reputation.
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 before he finally made the decision to seek professional help and fully dedicate himself to a life of sobriety.
Following his time in rehab, it didn't take Kelly much time to inform Lady A fans about his struggle with alcohol. The country trio was transparent with their fanbase, explaining that they postponed their 2022 Request Line Tour in order to prioritize Kelley's newfound sobriety. It was Kelley's choice to be honest about this matter. However, his bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood suggested finding alternative reasons for why the band was not embarking on 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. She acknowledged that it would have been easier to continue drinking and destroy everything in her life. However, she chose to be grateful for the situation, and this mindset shift was the moment she decided to share her experience. As a result, the positive impact of her decision has grown exponentially.
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