Walker Hayes, Charles Kelley and Morgan Wade share thoughts on beginning a sobriety journey

For every music industry professional who has made a decision to get sober, there are dozens more who think they should, but maybe don't know how. We asked sober artists, producers and others in the music industry for their advice on how someone might take the first, brave step toward sobriety.

Here's what they had to say in their own words:

Charles Kelley, country artist, member of Lady A

"I think the first thing is just being honest with yourself. I have a lot of people that are like, 'man, I should.' The biggest thing is don't wait for something truly awful to happen to push you to make that decision.

Also, look at what you're getting from it. Truly what you're getting from it and is it making you as happy as maybe it used to? Like, I used to connect so much happiness and excitement to it, but that excitement kind of wears off.

Name me one artist that's ever chosen alcohol over their family or career and would look back and go, 'That was the best decision I made was I'm glad I kept drinking and blew up my family and blew up my career.' Not one of them will say that.

Also to the fear of wondering if people will treat you differently: No one gives a shit. People are way more concentrated on the drink that they have in their hand than, than the drink you don't have in your hand."

Backstory: 'Finding out who I really am': Lady A singer Charles Kelley celebrates one year sober

Morgan Wade, country artist

"You really have to sit down and ask yourself, 'Why do I wanna do this?' I think you have to have a why and a reason being. It might just be, 'Hey, I, I wanna be healthier,' or 'I wanna be a better partner,' or 'I wanna succeed in this or this.' But I think you have to have a concrete reason and make it something that's really important to you or you're not gonna stick with it.

And then I think another thing is find somebody to talk to. There's just so many resources now. Get online and Google online AA meetings. You don't even have to talk. You can just listen. It's a community. I think it's very important to find  someone who's sober or supportive and having that support group. Someone that you can be like, 'Hey man, I'm really tempted right now.' Cause I mean, it's hard to do that shit on your own."

Ned Cameron (writer/producer)

"I went to a 12-step recovery meeting high and drunk.  I got a chip I didn't deserve and I left. But a couple of seeds were planted from just sitting there. And then a few months later I went to another one high and drunk. But I kept going and kept doing the next right thing completely imperfectly.

And honestly didn't even really think I could get sober or that I deserved to be sober or that I was even someone who was helpable. But I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and just showing up. And it worked.

And at some point, the pain of staying the same will be greater than the fear of change."

Scott Strode, founder and executive director of The Phoenix

"One thing you can do is just be more open with people that you feel comfortable with. Just saying, 'I'm struggling a bit and I'm really trying not to drink or use over the next couple days or on this tour' can be a huge help.

The Phoenix is free, and all you have to be is 48-hours sober. We have stuff all across the country, so you can download our app, The Phoenix, The Sober Community, and come to a Phoenix event."

Walker Hayes, country artist

"I get no greater joy than a phone call from somebody whose heart is soft and they're just like, 'Man, why'd you get sober?' And I can just tell they're inquisitive. They're like, 'I'm using. This is a problem,' and they want to save face and talk about it.

As much as it is kind of a problem in the country music world and the Nashville world, you have options. You have resources. You have camaraderie around you that would love to be with you in your journey.

An AA meeting is a genius choice. It's filled with men and women, children, all walks of life, looking at each other going, 'I need you guys. I need to not drink.' And that's just the most profound statement you can ever make in your life. If you're an addict, it's just to say it out loud, just look in the mirror and say, 'I need to not drink and be okay.'"

Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at [email protected], on X @HurtMelonee or Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Walker Hayes: 'An AA meeting is a genius choice.' We look at steps to sobriety