| Turns out, what Lady Antebellum truly needs is a lesson in allyship. Lady Antebellum is in hot water after a July 8 announcement that the country band, comprised of members Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, is suing Seattle-based blues artist Anita White over the use of the name Lady A. ICYMI, after 14 years of going by the moniker Lady Antebellum, the band announced in June that they’d be changing their name to Lady A in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement (more on that in a moment). Theoretically, a name switch is all fine and dandy, except for the fact the new name they want has belonged to White since the 1980s. While the band initially announced that they were working towards a solution with White, in which both parties could use the name, that compromise appears to have been thrown out the window. In the recent lawsuit, the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum asks a Nashville court to grant its right to the trademark of the name. Per documents obtained by Pitchfork, the lawsuit notes that the band isn’t asking for monetary damages or attempting to prohibit White from performing under the name Lady A, but to prove that they aren’t infringing on a copyright. But, it’s still pretty sketchy on the band’s part—especially considering that White is a Black woman and pretty much a protest artist. And fans online are not happy. Here’s everything you need to know about Lady Antebellum, Anita White and their name-change debacle. |
