Lady A, band that cut 'Antebellum' from its name due to slavery connotations, is suing a Black artist over the name 'Lady A'

• The band Lady A, formerly known as Lady Antebellum, is suing singer Anita "Lady A" White over the use of the name "Lady A."
• The band previously dropped "Antebellum" from their band name on June 11, citing the connotations the word has with slavery as the reason.
• Seattle-based Blues singer White claims she has used the name for 20 years, although Lady A has had the name trademarked since 2010.
• In a statement, the band claimed White asked for $10 million to give up the name, which prompted the lawsuit.
• Lady A said: "Reluctantly we have come to the conclusion that we need to ask a court to affirm our right to continue to use the name Lady A, a trademark we have held for many years."

Lady A, the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum, is suing Seattle-based blues singer Anita "Lady A" White over the use of the name "Lady A."

Lady A, which consists of Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and David Haywood, is suing for sole custody of the name, which they have had trademarked since 2010.

However, White has used the name "Lady A" for 20 years, Rolling Stone reporteed.

According to Vulture, the lawsuit, which was filed on July 8 in Nashville, Tennessee, claims that White has tried to "enforce purported trademarks rights in a mark that Plaintiffs have held for more than a decade."

Lady A announced on June 11 that they were dropping the word "Antebellum" from their original band name as a show of solidarity with the Black community as the word has connotations with the pre-civil war south and slavery.

Antebellum, literally meaning "before war," refers to the decades leading up to the American Civil War in 1861, which was marked by massive agricultural expansion in the south due in large part to slave labour.

In a statement at the time, Lady A wrote: "Causing pain was never our hearts' intention, but it doesn't change the fact that indeed, it did just that. So today, we speak up and make a change. We hope you will dig in and join us.⁣⁣⁣"

Dear Fans,⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ As a band, we have strived for our music to be a refuge…inclusive of all. We’ve watched and listened more than ever these last few weeks, and our hearts have been stirred with conviction, our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases Black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday. Now, blindspots we didn’t even know existed have been revealed.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word “antebellum” from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ When we set out together almost 14 years ago, we named our band after the southern “antebellum” style home where we took our first photos. As musicians, it reminded us of all the music born in the south that influenced us…Southern Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel and of course Country. But we are regretful and embarrassed to say that we did not take into account the associations that weigh down this word referring to the period of history before The Civil War, which includes slavery. We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued. Causing pain was never our hearts’ intention, but it doesn’t change the fact that indeed, it did just that. So today, we speak up and make a change. We hope you will dig in and join us.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ We feel like we have been Awakened, but this is just one step. There are countless more that need to be taken. We want to do better. We are committed to examining our individual and collective impact and making the necessary changes to practice antiracism. We will continue to educate ourselves, have hard conversations and search the parts of our hearts that need pruning—to grow into better humans, better neighbors. Our next outward step will be a donation to the Equal Justice Initiative through LadyAID. Our prayer is that if we lead by example…with humility, love, empathy and action…we can be better allies to those suffering from spoken and unspoken injustices, while influencing our children & generations to come.

A post shared by Lady A (@ladya) on Jun 11, 2020 at 8:01am PDTJun 11, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

However, the name change has clashed with White, who told Rolling Stone: "This is my life. They're using the name because of a Black Lives Matter incident that, for them, is just a moment in time."

The band and White initially spoke over Zoom in the hopes of working something out.

The band tweeted: "Transparent, honest, and authentic conversations were had. We are excited to share we are moving forward with positive solutions and common ground. The hurt is turning into hope. More to come."

—Lady A (@ladya) June 15, 2020

However, initial talks broke down after White asked for $10 million to give up the name "Lady A," the band claimed in a statement published by Vulture.

Lady A wrote: "Today we are sad to share that our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended.

"She and her team have demanded a $10 million payment, so reluctantly we have come to the conclusion that we need to ask a court to affirm our right to continue to use the name Lady A, a trademark we have held for many years."

However, White had a message for the band, posting a tweet on Wednesday that read: "No weapon formed against me shall prosper," and also included the hashtag "#TheRealLadyA."

—Lady A (@ladiawhite) July 8, 2020

Insider has reached out to White for comment.

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