Country music star opens up about devastating cancer diagnosis
Musician Charles Kelley has been diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer, and revealed that the news came after he was being treated for a very different health issue.
The Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum) singer, 45, shared the devastating news in a video alongside his wife Cassie shared on Instagram.
Lady A singer Charles Kelley reveals he’s been diagnosed with a rare cancer. Instagram/@charleskelley
The singer explained that he had several rib fractures, which he was being treated for when the diagnosis came.
“One of the last blood tests we did, they found a blood cancer in there called multiple myeloma,” he said.
“It’s rare. But I’m young, I feel healthy, and the treatments, I will say, have just come so far even in the past five years, that even the life expectancy far exceeds what it used to be.”
Kelley shared that a friend was diagnosed with cancer around two months ahead of him, and watching her journey has “really helped” his own experience.
“I feel really hopeful,” he said.
“I think in the same spirit of the way we’ve kind of shared a lot of my sobriety journey, just getting this stuff off your chest is so freeing and it takes the power away from it a little bit. We wanted to let you all know what was going on, and we’re gonna get through it.”
The country singer said that the first six months of his treatment shouldn’t be too invasive.
“I think physically, I’ll feel like myself. I’ll have tough days [but] I want to keep working,” he added.
He finished the video by kissing his wife, who he shares two kids with, sons Ward, 10 and Archer, one.
Charles was supported by his wife of 17 years Cassie in the emotional video. Instagram/@charleskelley
The post has been flooded with messages of support and well wishes as he takes on this new challenge,
He pledged to be transparent with his cancer journey, the same way he was about his sobriety, with his followers.
In 2022 the country singer sought treatment for alcohol addiction, and his bandmates were a pillar of support for him during that time.
(L-R) Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley of Lady A. Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
At the time the band postponed their Request Line Tour as he embarked on his sobriety journey.
Marking the milestone of four years sober earlier this year in July, he shared a photo of himself before and after he stopped drinking.
“I could go on about the many blessings that have come from putting it down way more than looking healthier, but it’s a nice reminder of a place I don’t wanna go back to,” Kelley captioned the post.
