Charles Kelley is celebrating three years of sobriety. Kelley marked the occasion on social media, sharing a message of gratitude in honor of the milestone anniversary, which comes only a few days after his solo Songs For A New Moon album is released.
“Three years ago today, I thankfully surrendered, found my way to recovery and it changed my life in so many good ways,” Kelley writes. “Thank you to every single person along the way who has encouraged me and walked beside me through this process. So much of my gratitude is in this new music, lyrically and throughout the sound. Thanks to everyone who has shared and sent me a note. Feeling a lot of love.”
In a video, Kelley also opens up about his sobriety, and what life looks like for him now that he has cut alcohol out of his life.
“I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of the congratulations on my three years of sobriety,” the Lady A singer says. “It really, truly has been some of the best years of my life. It definitely comes with its struggles. It’s not necessarily easy, but it makes life easier. The process is a journey, but it’s amazing what you learn about yourself, what I’ve learned about what I enjoy, what kind of man I want to be moving forward.
“I just really appreciate all the support, and all the people too that have been talking about what this record, how it makes them feel, some of the songs, how they relate to it, what it means to them,” he adds. “I just want to say thank you guys, for everything that y’all are doing in my life, and I appreciate you.”
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Kelley went to rehab in 2022, flying directly there from a vacation he was on with his wife. Included on Songs For A New Moon is “Can’t Lose You,” a song about his fear of losing his wife, Cassie, due to his alcoholism.
“I went to treatment for a month in Utah, and I really didn’t know if I was ever going to be coming back home to my bed,” Charles tells People. “And that was tough. I’d written a lot of songs about heartbreak, but I don’t know if I ever really knew what heartbreak felt like until I was there and had that moment.”
Kelley admits that if not for his wife, he likely would have never had the courage to quit drinking.
“She’s the reason that I got sober,” Kelley says. “She had so much grace for me and went along through the journey with me doing all the work, and I could go so far as to say there’s no way she would’ve stayed with me if I had not gotten sober.”
Kelley and Cassie have one son, Ward, and are expecting their second child, a boy, this fall.
Songs For A New Moon is available at CharlesKelley.com.