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Charles Kelley’s wife of 15 years, Cassie McConnell Kelley, shared a vulnerable conversation about her husband’s sobriety journey and its impact on their family.
Cassie appeared on the latest episode of Got It From My Momma, hosted by Jennifer Vickery Smith, who chats with mothers and wives of entertainers in each episode. this week, she shared her chat with Cassie, whom she deems “honest and vulnerable and hopes her journey helps others in navigating this difficult road.”
Charles, one third of the award-winning group Lady A, recently marked two years of sobriety. He first opened up about his decision to focus on his health in August 2022, when Lady A postponed a tour to support his “journey to sobriety,” they shared at the time. Charles has since spoken publicly about his decision and debuted the song “As Far As You Could,” which he called his “goodbye letter to alcohol.” Cassie has also shared her perspective in interviews, and told Vickery Smith on Got It From My Momma why they’ve opted to publicly share their story.
“I think that alcohol culture in specifically the entertainment business, but really in country music, is everywhere,” Cassie addressed first. “And so, I think it’s important to vocalize that you don’t have to drink to have a good time. You don’t have to drink when you go to a country concert, you know? I mean, I, just as much as anybody, likes to have a glass of wine or a beer or whatever at a concert and that’s great, but you know, I think that the idea that, you know, you have to do it. We need to change the culture around that, (the idea) that you can’t have fun without alcohol.
“I think that walking through Charles’ sobriety and recovery has really taught me (that) nothing is promised, and nothing is so bad that it can’t be better, and nothing is so good that it also won’t go away,” she said in the podcast discussion, in a clip shared on Instagram on Wednesday (July 10). “So, I truly just, that ‘one day at a time’ is my daily mantra of, ‘what am I doing today that is giving life to me, giving life to my family, giving life of service to whoever I can help?’ And just show up as my authentic self.”
Listen to the full conversation here.
Charles has previously expressed his gratitude for his fans and Lady A bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood as he celebrated one year sober. He said he was “feeling beyond grateful!”