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Lady A's Charles Kelley Says His Son and Wife Caught The Travel Bug

Charles Kelley: "You can already tell he's got this wanderlust like she has."

Jet-setting around the world has become second nature for Lady A's Charles Kelley, but for his family they still get the travel thrill.

The "Summer State Of Mind" singer recently caught up with Big Machine Label Group to discuss how his six-year-old son Ward and wife Cassie have become world travelers throughout the years.

Ward's childhood is already different from his father's, as Kelley spent hot summer days doing manual labor on his dad's farm in Augusta, Georgia. Kelley said that he never had the desire to cross America's borders growing up. However, his priorities quickly changed when he formed Lady A with Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood.

"I had never really seen the world until Lady Antebellum," Kelley told People in 2018. "You can have pride in your country, but when you get to go and travel and see all these different places, it's so eye-opening. There's so many different ways of living," he explained.

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When the Grammy Award-winning band started to pick up momentum - Kelley encouraged his family to join them on tour so he could watch his son grow. Kelley and his wife Cassie welcomed their baby boy in 2016, and by the time he turned two-years-old, he had already been on more than 100 flights and had crossed the pond to explore Europe.

"My wife and I have such a strong relationship that it's so much better when they're out with me. Having them with me is so cozy. I also don't want Ward to grow up [and] be like, 'I never got to see my dad – he was always traveling," he explained. "I thought, 'Buddy, you've seen more in 2½ years than I ever saw in my 24 years of existence until this band," he added.

Kelley recently told BMLG that traveling has become exhausting, but he loves watching his wife and son "bond" over different cultures and tourist hot spots.

"They're the funniest," he said while laughing. "My wife and my boy, it's just funny to see their relationship. Like, you can already tell he's got this wanderlust like she has."

The multi-platinum performer has spent nearly two decades sightseeing and hitting notable venues worldwide – leaving him with little to no interest in discovering new gems. He shared with his label that he's blessed to have Cassie, as she helps introduce the world to Ward.

"I feel like because I travel for a living, I don't have that desire to just go and see the world like Cassie does," Kelley declared. "When we tour, I will say, I'm always so jet-lagged. It's like, 'How was it in Germany?' I was like, 'Man, I was so tired the whole time I didn't really even walk out of my hotel.' And I'm so ashamed. But my wife just wants to show Ward and expose him to so many things, and it just opens his little mind up so much."

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Lady A is currently gearing up for their 21-city trek. The Request Line Tour will kick off with back-to-back nights at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on Aug. 13-14. The unstoppable trio is set to make stops at iconic and intimate venues across the country. For instance – the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan, Chicago Theatre, The Met Philadelphia, Boston's MGM Music Hall at Fenway, and more.

We've been touring for over fifteen years and have played some of the biggest venues in the world, but there's something truly special about being close to your audience and having the flexibility to include the fans in how the show goes," Haywood said in a recent statement. "During our Vegas residency, our favorite moments allowed the three of us to talk with the fans and play what they wanted to hear. So we're taking that spirit and making it a regular part of our shows this year."

The "Like A Lady" singers are turning to their devoted fan base to shake up their journey and to make the Request Line Tour an unforgettable experience. Ticketholders in attendance will have the opportunity to call the 615-882-1975 hotline and request their favorite track – making no show the same. For more information and tour updates, music-goers can visit Ladyamusic.com.

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