Charles Kelley Wouldn’t Have Moved to Nashville If Not for Brother Josh Kelley
Charles Kelley and his older brother, Josh Kelley, have always been supportive of each other -- so supportive, in fact, that the Lady Antebellum member says it's because of his sibling that he even came to Nashville in the first place.
Way back when, Charles Kelley was working for his brother John, doing construction in North Carolina, while, from afar, watching his other brother "[living] out there, doing music, chasing down this dream." Shortly after Josh Kelley moved to Nashville -- "just on a whim," according to his younger brother -- Charles Kelley called him up and told him that he wanted to join him.
"He let me stay at his place for a year, rent-free, living like kings," Charles Kelley recalls. "Without him, I don't think I would have done it; I really don't. I think I probably would have done what I was doing and maybe had a little band on the side, for the fun of it, just to get that feel, get that artistic side of me out."
However, Kelley admits that his move to Music City wasn't nearly as ambitious as that of fellow bandmate Dave Haywood, who was gainfully employed when Kelley talked him into starting a trio with himself and Hillary Scott.
"Dave really took a leap of faith," Kelley admits. "For me, I wasn't making anything; I was making minimum wage, working for my older brother. Dave had a really good job, and I remember his parents were mortified that he was moving to do this. And then after they first heard our single on the radio, it was like, 'This is the greatest thing ever!'"
Lady A have spent much of the past year apart, working on individual projects, which Kelley insists will help the trio return better than ever.
"It's been a fun journey ... We feel like we're finally settling into this side of ourselves," Kelley notes. "I think we're going to come back even stronger because of it."
Lady Antebellum are playing at a series of fairs and festivals this summer; a list of all of their upcoming shows can be found on their website. Kelley's solo album, The Driver, is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes.
Country Stars and Their Famous Relatives