The Lady A members all have unique — and in one case tropical — holiday plans. Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood reveal how they will each spend Christmas, which for Kelley, his wife Cassie and their son, Ward, means enjoying some sunshine and warm weather.
“We’re gonna get to go spend some time down in the Bahamas, which is what we’ve done for a couple of years now,” Kelley told the Country Music Association. “I’m looking forward to that. Our kids, they’re all at this age now where it’s just, you’re living vicariously through them. My little boy’s seven. All our kids are similar ages.”
Scott, her husband Chris Tyrell, and their three daughters, have two unique traditions for the night before Christmas.
“We are all about the matching PJs,” Scott reveals. “So the night before, on Christmas Eve, we all open up one gift, and it’s always pajamas. Over the last couple of years, we’ve gone to see a movie on Christmas Eve, which is fun. There’s always a really fun kids movie out that we try to go see.”
Haywood’s Christmas with his wife, Kelli, and their two children involves one very sweet treat.
“We cook a lot the morning of, make this Haywood divinity candy the night before,” Haywood says. “It’s a magical time for the kids these days for us.”
At least for one of the Lady A members, there will not be any alcohol involved in their holiday events. Kelley celebrated one year of sobriety in September, with no plans to return to his former ways.
“I read a lot more,” Kelley recently told Everything Nash. “I have more energy to spend with my family and talking with my wife, and not sitting in front of the TV and polishing off a bottle of wine. So some of those things naturally for me has opened up my eyes. … In terms of the creative process, honestly, it’s just being more vulnerable, more open and honest in my songwriting.”
Lady A has a new single at radio, with “Love You Back.” The song, written by James McNair, Lindsay Rhimes, and Emily Weisband, is the debut single from a forthcoming new album.
“When we first heard ‘Love You Back,’ we knew immediately it was such a great fit for us,” Lady A said when the song, which was just the most-added at country radio, was first released. “Heartbreak is something almost everyone has experienced and this song describes that experience in a whole new way. We’ve loved seeing how fans react to the song and to now share the official version with everyone is really special!”
Lady A performed “What Christmas Means to Me,” as part of the recent CMA Country Christmas. The show is streaming now on both Hulu and Disney+.
Find “Love You Back” and all of Lady A’s music and upcoming shows at LadyAMusic.com.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of CMA/Josh Brasted