Part 4 – The Music Biz and the Never - Ending Happy Hour

In the music business, dodging alcohol is about as likely as finding a needle in a haystack—blindfolded. Bars, nightclubs, casinos (yes, I played a stint in Nevada), and giant country music festivals sponsored by the biggest beer companies on the planet: booze was always the guest of honour.

The hard part? I wasn’t just performing—I was working the crowd, keeping them dancing and cheering. Happy patrons bought me drinks. Venue owners and managers bought me drinks. By my last set, I was often “half in the bag” — which is just industry code for “still rocking it, but with a little extra wobble.”

My go-to poison? Grand Marnier. Fancy, smooth, and deceptively strong. And when you’re 5’2½” and about 115 pounds soaking wet, a couple of those and I was feeling the party fast.

But the real kicker? After the show, it was practically a job requirement to keep the celebration going—whether clinking glasses with the owner or winding down back at the hotel. Booze became the official currency for celebrating every milestone, big or small, and every excuse in between.

Juno Awards (the equivalent of the Grammy Awards in Canada,) Country Music Week, after-parties that stretched into the wee hours. Liquid lunches with record execs and publishing honchos that were less about business and more about “bonding.” This was the culture, and I was a loyal, card-carrying member of the party brigade.

And the Canadian Armed Forces tours? Let’s just say those came with their own brand of wild stories. As for the extramarital affairs? Spoiler: they were all alcohol-fueled. Yep, that’s in the book too.

But beneath the bright lights and blurry nights, the drinking was more than fun—it became a way to numb the pain as my marriage grew more abusive. I wasn’t just Kelita the star on stage—I was a woman desperate to find love and acceptance for me, not the persona the world saw.

Sometimes the escape hatch feels like the only door you have. But eventually, you have to find the courage to open it.

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Author’s Note:
This chapter shines a light on a season of my life that was thrilling, successful… and quietly unraveling. The stage lights were bright, but behind them, I was hurting and hiding.

If any part of you has used success, social status, or celebration to mask real pain, I hope this resonated.

There’s more to the story—how I found healing and reclaimed my identity beyond the applause. It's all in my memoir Reason to Sing – An Inspiring Journey Overcoming Trauma, Abuse, and Betrayal 

Available on Amazon and Audible. 👉 [Click here)

Ray Sawyer of Dr Hook and yours truly on tour together