And that other $5 million was supposed to go to Black Lives Matter to help other artists with this very struggle.” Critics of the band’s handling of the situation have also pointed out the irony of the trio changing its name to support racial justice, while subsequently usurping a black woman.

“My fans used to be able to listen to my music on streaming services; now they struggle to find me,” she claims. In its filing, the band also said that its fans had been using "Lady A" as a nickname for well over a decade, and it had referred to itself as "Lady A" on its own website starting in 2008. The parties will first need to show how long they have been using the trademarks in commerce; the second factor in the court’s decision will be how broadly they have used the mark in commerce.

Given the way that Hillary, Charles, and Dave have treated me, I am not surprised that they used the name Lady Antebellum for so long or that their cure is to adopt a name that is only less overtly racist.

On June 11, the country trio changed its name to Lady A, saying that they were, in retrospect, "regretful and embarrassed" that they hadn't considered the loaded and racist history of "antebellum." ), “These cases are very fact-based,” says Jason Rosenblum, a patent attorney who focuses on trademark protection.

Lady A, formerly Lady Antebellum, is clashing over the name with Seattle-based blues singer Lady A. … Given the way that Hillary, Charles, and Dave have treated me, I am not surprised that they used the name Lady Antebellum for so long or that their cure is to adopt a name that is only less overtly racist. I will not allow Lady Antebellum to obliterate me and my career so they can look ‘woke’ to their fans.”, “It is now clear that their apologies, friendly texts, and playing on my love of God were just insincere gestures aimed at quieting me.

Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The band had been criticized for romanticizing the pre-war, slavery-ridden American South — so it chopped off the offending word and refashioned itself “Lady A.”, But Lady A was already someone else’s name: A 61-year-old black singer in Seattle, Anita White, had recorded and performed music with it for decades. White recently told HLN she had been willing to work with the band but is unwilling to share the name with them.

Today, we connected privately with the artist Lady A. Transparent, honest, and authentic conversations were had.

Attorneys say the case rests on two tricky things: prior usage and scope. I asked for $5 million to compensate me for this loss, and to help me rebuild under a new name. “After being called out for taking my name, Lady Antebellum and their team of publicists and attorneys are doing what many folks of privilege do when asked to cease and desist bad behavior.

And she acknowledges the group’s claim earlier in the week that she asked for $10 million to grant them full rights to use the name, saying she was going to use it in part to re-brand herself and partly for charity.

“I also asked that they donate $5 million to a charity so that we could work together to promote racial equality. More to come.". “Though they recognized their impact, Lady Antebellum has not been receptive to my proposals for correcting their infringement, unfortunately. “I asked for $5 million to compensate me for this loss, and to help me rebuild under a new name,” she writes. “I first heard about Lady Antebellum’s planned name change after they went public on June 11, 2020, at which point I was shocked and taken aback. Shortly after the name change was announced, Anita White, who is a Black artist based in Seattle, emerged to say that she had already been performing under that name for about 20 years. blues singer Anita White who has been using that same name, Blues singer lambasts Lady Antebellum's name change, says she's been Lady A for 20 years, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. “Lady A is my identity — and it has been since 1987. More to come.". A court is being asked to determine the band's right to the name. It was an inauspicious beginning for the trio's revamped image. (Trademarks deal with logos, merchandise, novelty items, and other items that can be sold or marketed; copyrights, which rear their head in infringement suits over songs and albums, are a different matter. The country group formerly known as Lady Antebellum will keep its new name, Lady A, after connecting with blues singer Anita White who has been using that same name for more than 20 years, the band's publicist Tyne Parrish confirmed Tuesday to USA TODAY.


I guess I was wrong. I do not want to part with it.

Lady Antebellum Has Filed A Lawsuit Against Blues Singer Anita White. If they are truly committed to racial equality, why do they want to maintain that association, especially when it means making a public, intentional stand to disregard me and my rights? During initial calls with the members of the band — Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood — I hoped that we could reach an agreement that left both sides whole. It is now clear that their apologies, friendly texts, and playing on my love of God were just insincere gestures aimed at quieting me. It added in part: "We never even entertained the idea that she shouldn't also be able to use the name Lady A, and never will." I have worked too long and too hard to just give my name away. Their refusal to come to an agreement that would be respectful of my work and my rights, however, has given me the clarity and the drive to not back down.”, In mentioning that the band had come to realize that the word “antebellum” had unavoidable connotations with the slavery era, White says that their use of the new name is “only less overtly racist.”, “Given the way that Hillary, Charles, and Dave have treated me,” she writes, “I am not surprised that they used the name Lady Antebellum for so long or that their cure is to adopt a name that is only less overtly racist. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Lady Antebellum changed their name to "Lady A," unaware that there was a 61-year-old black singer with multiple albums with the same name.

Singer Anita White, also known as Lady A, released a statement over the weekend saying that the country group of the same name — formerly known as Lady … Lady A also works and performs with her accompanist and pianist/producer John Oliver III, doing special projects such as, United by Music Europe and North America which she has been a mentor from 2011 - 2016. I asked for $5 million to compensate me for this loss, and to help me rebuild under a new name.

The A in their name stands for Antebellum and always will.

The declaratory judgment suit essentially asks a court to affirm that both parties can use the name. It is absurd that Lady Antebellum has chosen to show its commitment to racial equality by taking the name of a Black woman, particularly in this time when we are reminded every day to ‘Say Her Name.’It is one more demonstration of what continues to be taken away from us in the present. "Our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended," the statement read. Well, I will not be quiet any longer.

It was my impression from our communications that this would appeal to Hillary, Charles, and Dave.

Lady Antebellum understood that their use of ‘Antebellum’ was offensive and that their adoption of Lady A harms me, as I have been using the name professionally for over 30 years. On July 8, the group Lady A announced that it was suing White in the state of Tennessee, taking pains to say that it was not asking for any monetary damages, but asking the court to declare that both artists could continue using the name without interference or reprisal from the other.
The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar), and Dave Haywood (background vocals, guitar, piano, mandolin). They’re not requesting that the court prevent her from using the name Lady A. The band says all this happened without ever hearing from or of Lady A, the Seattle-based blues singer, and says she was obscure enough that she had not come to their attention until after they announced their name change in early June. It is absurd that Lady Antebellum has chosen to show its commitment to racial equality by taking the name of a Black woman, particularly in this time when we are reminded every day to ‘Say Her Name.’It is one more demonstration of what continues to be taken away from us in the present. If the court agrees with the band and grants it a right to the name, the two groups “will have to agree to a way to ensure consumers — music fans — know who’s who.” If the court rejects the band’s claim, further legal action will be needed to sort out exactly who can use the name and where.