Looking after one another. Lady A announced that they have postponed their upcoming tour amid band member Charles Kelley‘s “journey to sobriety.”
“Being on the road with our fans is our greatest joy, so it was a hard but important decision to make,” the country music group wrote via Instagram on Thursday, August 4.”We are a band, but more importantly … we’re family. We’re proud to say that Charles has embarked on a journey to sobriety.”
The post continued: “So, right now in order to be the healthiest, strongest and most creative band we can be, Lady A will take the time with the support of our families and team of professionals to walk through this together. It’s early on this road, but we are determined to do what will best set us up for many more years together. We’re grateful for your patience.”
The band, which includes Kelley, 40, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, noted that they will offer an update on their tour in “real time” amid the unexpected change. “We’re looking forward to making 2023 our best year yet!” the statement concluded. “With love.”
The announcement comes less than two weeks before the trio were set to go on Lady A’s Request Line Tour, which was scheduled to begin on August 13. The run consisted of 21 dates that would start in Nashville and conclude two months later in Indianapolis. Ahead of the update, Kelley seemingly hinted at his journey to get sober.
“Fired up for this one. Ironic since I stopped drinking haha,” the lead singer wrote via Instagram on Monday, August 1, alongside promo for BRELAND’s upcoming “Told You I Could Drink” track.
The postponed tour comes two years after the band previously made headlines for their decision to change their name from Lady Antebellum to Lady A. At the time, the trio noted that they made the choice due to the word “antebellum” and its association with slavery.
“As a band, we have strived for our music to be a refuge…inclusive of all. We’ve watched and listened more than ever these last few weeks, and our hearts have been stirred with conviction, our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases Black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday. Now, blindspots we didn’t even know existed have been revealed,” Scott, 36, Haywood, 40, and Kelley wrote via Instagram in June 2020.
The statement added: “After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word ‘antebellum’ from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start.”
For the Grammy winners, the change was “just one step” toward their goal of “examining our individual and collective impact and making the necessary changes to practice antiracism.”
“We will continue to educate ourselves, have hard conversations and search the parts of our hearts that need pruning—to grow into better humans, better neighbors,” the musicians concluded. “Our next outward step will be a donation to the Equal Justice Initiative through LadyAID. Our prayer is that if we lead by example…with humility, love, empathy and action…we can be better allies to those suffering from spoken and unspoken injustices, while influencing our children & generations to come.”
If you or anyone you know is facing substance abuse issues, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free and confidential information 24/7.