Lady A's Charles Kelley has released a fully-produced version of his new single "As Far as You Could" as a "goodbye letter to alcohol" and detailed his personal struggles with addiction and ongoing recovery.
Co-written and produced by Kelley, 41, alongside his bandmate Dave Haywood and Jimmy Robbins, the song was created following the country singer's public decision to become sober and begin treatment for his alcohol addiction.
"For me, the biggest word I've been holding onto is gratitude, not pride," the singer said in a statement as he announced the release of his song.
"I'm grateful," he added. "I finally see the light and am connecting with what life is all about. Some days are hard, but the good outweighs those bad moments. There's some beauty in all this and I've had time to reflect, time to get healthy, time to write. I've probably written 50 songs this fall, and I feel like all of it was leading to this one song."
In addition to Haywood, 40, another member of Lady A, Hillary Scott also gave her full support for the new single.
"Hillary especially felt it was important for me to tell my story, kind of the same way she was able to do with 'Thy Will.' With their blessing, I'm putting this out, but it will live right alongside everything else we do," Kelley added of his bandmates.
Last month, Kelley shared a demo of "As Far as You Could" on Instagram, writing in the caption, "This song was very therapeutic to write and I hope it can meet someone where they are."
The lyrics to the song chronicle Kelley's struggles with alcohol, from the way he depended upon it to be able to perform, to how it gave him "courage" the night he met his wife, Cassie.
"You helped me make her laugh/'Til you helped me make her cry," he sings. "You started out a friend/Turned into something else."
The song concludes with an apparent victory over his addiction, as Kelley sings: "'Cause you took me high/You put up a good fight/But look who's standing now/Had to almost lose it all before I understood."
Cassie, whom Kelley married in 2009 and with whom he shares son Ward, 6, later celebrated her husband's new song in an Instagram Story.
"Really proud of how hard this man works daily on his recovery," she wrote at the time. "There has been no greater gift for our family than his sobriety."
In August, Lady A announced that they'd be postponing their upcoming tour to 2023 so that Kelley could get sober.
"Being on the road with our fans is our greatest joy, so it was a hard but important decision to make," the group wrote in a statement at the time. "We are a band, but more importantly… we're family. We're proud to say that Charles has embarked on a journey to sobriety."
Days later, Kelley thanked his supporters in a message shared on Instagram that said he was "grateful for this time to focus on my family and my health."
"As Far as You Could" is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other online platforms.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
