There’s an incredible about of country artists who decided to go sober in 2023.
Country music has long been associated with the allure of a good time. And those “good times” are often fueled by alcohol. It’s a landscape where lyrics frequently echo the joy of toasting to life’s highs and drowning sorrows in a bottle. In recent years, a noteworthy trend has emerged within the country music industry. There’s an increasing number of artists embracing sobriety.
Icons like Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, and Walker Hayes have been sober for many years. These artists have proudly shared their stories of sobriety. In many ways, they have become beacons of inspiration for a new generation of country musicians grappling with the challenges of an industry that has historically celebrated the camaraderie found at the bottom of a bottle.
Tim McGraw has been sober since 2008. He credits his wife, Faith Hill, for helping him through his sobriety journey.
More Country Stars Are Going Sober In 2023
As we finish 2023, a fresh wave of country artists are bravely declaring their commitment to sobriety. These rising stars are breaking the mold and proving that you can be true to the roots of country music without succumbing to the temptations of alcohol. Because we all know that the country music genre is filled with stages that are often dressed with whiskey bottles. And the same artists lyrics tell tales of barstool confessions.
But these six artists decided that 2023 was going to be the year to give up the booze. Of course, they still sing about it because they have songs released about it. And fans still drink plenty of beer at their shows. But many of the artists say that had to give up alcohol for the betterment of their health.
Chris Stapleton
In an interview with GQ this year, Chris Stapleton said, “I like to tell people that I got into a drinking contest with myself in my 20s, and I lost.” He used to have a shot of tequila before hitting the stage before every show. He didn’t have to go to rehab and now he pre-show rituals just include vocal warmups. Chris has been sober for a couple of years, but the story of his sobriety broke in 2023.
Ashley McBryde
Like Chris Stapleton, it wasn’t publicly known that Ashley McBryde had given up alcohol. In an interview on “Today’s Country Radio With Kelleigh Bannen,” in September of 2023 Ashley said she’s been sober for over a year now. The singer admits she’s kept her sobriety journey quiet because she didn’t want to jinx herself or slip back into old habits.
Ashley McBryde made headline this year when she admitted she gave up booze.
Jon Pardi
Jon Pardi gave up alcohol over 112 days ago. He attributed the decision to being pre-diabetic
In December of 2023, Jon Pardi revealed that he’s been 112 days (and counting) without alcohol. He says that he’s lost a lot of the weight in his face and he feels more confident and heathier than ever. The reason for giving up booze was because his doctor said he was pre-diabetic. Jon says he’s “retired” from drinking and can always come out of retirement if he wants to.
Charles Kelly
Lady A’s Charles Kelly opened up about his sobriety journey in May of 2023. In an interview with CBS This Morning, ‘Yeah, I’m definitely a functioning alcoholic.’ And I said, ‘I know I’m gonna have to stop at some point, but that’s not today.'” Five years ago Charles’s Lady A bandmates noticed he had a problem, but he wasn’t ready to address the problem yet. Charles’
MORRISON, CO – JUNE 25: Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum make their Red Rocks Amphitheatre Debut for SeriesFest: Seasons 4 Centerpiece Event on June 25, 2018 in Morrison, Colorado. (Photo by Tom Cooper/Getty Images for SeriesFest)
marriage and his drinking, came to a head during a trip to Greece. He and his wife got in an argument after a night of drinking and he turned off his phone. When he returned the next morning, Cassie told him he needed help and was planning to meet with a divorce attorney. That’s when he went to rehab.
Shay Mooney
Lead singer, Shay Mooney from the country duo Dan+Shay, says that he stopped drinking alcohol in 2023. His motivation was because he was feeling tired watching his kids. In an interview with People he said, “I knew that that was because of my unhealthy eating habits and drinking too much.” He stopped eating sugar and quit drinking completely. He lost 50-lbs.
Shay Mooney gave up drinking to spend more *energetic* time with his kids
