Charles Kelley just shared an emotional, unreleased new song called “As Far As You Could,” which serves as his “goodbye letter to alcohol” amid his sobriety journey.
Kelley, who is one part of the GRAMMY award-winning trio Lady A, took to social media on Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 22) to share a 3-minute, 50-second work tape of a new song that was inspired by his path to becoming sober.
“This song is my goodbye letter to alcohol…” Kelley captioned the clip. “I wrote ‘As Far As You Could’ with my bandmate Dave and the talented Jimmy Robbins and this is the demo. This song was very therapeutic to write and I hope it can meet someone where they are.”
Co-written by Kelley alongside Dave Haywood and Jimmy Robbins, “As Far As You Could” finds Kelley detailing his struggles with alcohol addiction, including how it impacted his life and those around him as well as his dependency on drinking to perform.
“It’s why I moved to Nashville / why I almost left / you made me feel alive / but you scared me half to death / thought I couldn’t hit that stage without you running through my veins / now I sing the songs I always have / but the meanings bound to change,” Kelley sings on the first verse of the tune.
“Cause you took me high / but you sure as hell brought me down / you said goodbye… But I’m gonna see you around / and to tell the truth / I thought I never would / but it’s time I finally put you down for good / cause you’ve taken me as far as you could,” goes the chorus.
The lyrics of the tune then reference the impact that his addiction had on his wife, Cassie, as he vows to put down the bottle for good.
“Well you gave me the courage the night I met my wife / you help me make her laugh ‘til you helped me make her cry / you started out a friend / turned into something else / now I like who I am with you sittin’ on the shelf / cause you took me high / but you sure as hell brought me down / we said goodbye… But I’m gonna see you around / and to tell the truth / I thought I never would / but it’s time I finally put you down for good / cause you’ve taken me as far as you could…”
The tune concludes with Kelley conquering alcoholism.
“You’re a part of my story / good times I won’t forget / I can say I’m glad you’re gone / but can’t say I wish we never met / cause you took me high / but you sure as hell brought me down / You put up a good fight / but looks who’s standing now / oh to tell the truth I thought I never would /
But it’s time I finally put you down for good / Had to almost lose it all before I understood / that you’ve taken me as far you could…”
The song comes months after Lady A was forced to cancel their headlining tour Request Line Tour in an effort to support Kelley’s “journey to sobriety.”
“We have decided to postpone our Request Line Tour until next year,” the group previously shared in a statement. ”Being on the road with our fans is our greatest joy, so it was a hard but important decision to make.”
At the time, the “Summer State Of Mind” singers said that they would be taking this time to focus on their families as Kelley works to become sober.
“We are a band, but more importantly…we’re family,” Lady A shared. ”We’re proud to say that Charles has embarked on a journey to sobriety. 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.”
In early August of 2022, Charles Kelley broke his silence to graciously thank fans for their support and encouragement on his sobriety journey thus far.
“I want to thank everyone who has shown me so much support and encouragement so far on my journey of sobriety,” Kelley wrote. “Y’alls kind words have meant the world to me and really lifted me up over the past few weeks. I can’t wait to get back on the road with Lady A next year.”
At the time, Kelley admitted that he is thankful to be able to get to spend time focusing on his family and health.
“Getting on that stage and being able to see, hear and feel everything through a clearer lens is going to be a gift that I won’t take for granted. I’m grateful for this time to focus on my family and my health,” Kelley continued.
This isn’t the first time that Charles Kelley has released music on his own. In February of 2016, Kelley released his debut solo album, The Driver, which features fan-favorite tunes such as “Leaving Nashville,” “The Driver,” “Lonely Girl,” and more.
