Lady A band sues blues singer over name
Lady A is going to court. After negotiations broke down over use of the name, the country-music trio Lady A, formerly Lady Antebellum, is suing veteran blues singer Anita White, who has been using Lady A as a stage moniker for decades.
The band, known for hits including “Need You Now” and “Just a Kiss,” filed a trademark lawsuit in Nashville’s U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on Wednesday over White’s “attempt to enforce purported trademark rights in a mark that Plaintiffs have held for more than a decade.” The group also says White demanded $10 million.
Following the global protests over the death of George Floyd, the band announced last month that it would be dropping Antebellum from its name because it “did not take into account the associations that weigh down this word,” acknowledging the central role of slavery during the period.
Band members Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and David Haywood and their company, Lady A Entertainment, are seeking a declaratory judgment that would allow them to use the name without infringing on any of White’s trademark rights.
A representative for White did not immediately respond to the Times’ request for comment Wednesday.
“Today we are sad to share that our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended,” the Grammywinning group said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”