Surviving HARD TIMES
THE FORMER DUKES OF HAZZARD STAR LEANS ON MUSIC AND HIS LOVE TO SEE HIM THROUGH
He may have outrun Boss Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard, but John Schneider is finding real-life troubles aren’t as easy to conquer. He’s four years into a bitter divorce from his second wife, Elly Castle, was sentenced to a three-day jail term for being behind in his alimony payments and, worst of all, “I really have no relationship with my three adult children,” he laments to Closer. “It has been a very tough time and if it wasn’t for the experience of Dancing With the Stars, I think it would have been much tougher.”
The actor and musician didn’t make the cut on the Nov. 5 episode, however, and teared up while talking about his kids. But John, 58, still says “doing the show gave me such joy. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and enabled me to put aside [my troubles].”
FINDING HIS SMILE
Leah, 33, Chasen, 26, and Karis Schneider, 24, haven’t communicated with their father for several years, but he never gave up “hope they would show up at DWTS,” he says. They never did, but John finds comfort with his girlfriend of four years, film producer Alicia
Allain, without whom, he says,
“I wouldn’t be smiling.”
He’s also pouring his sadness into new music, including a song he’ll sing on DWTS ’ Nov. 19 finale, “Maybe Tonight,” based on his unfulfilled hope of seeing his kids. “I find the best thing to do…I pick up my guitar,” he says. “Country music is so great because we’re not afraid to write from personal joy or personal defeat.”
John hopes his music will help him reconnect with his family. “The world will hear it,” he says, “but more importantly to me, one day my kids will hear it.” — Lisa Chambers,
with reporting by Ilyssa Panitz
“Fans are there for me and I am so grateful.”
— John