Lady A files suit over name after talks with Seattle singer break down
The conflict between country trio Lady A, formerly Lady Antebellum, and Seattle-based soul singer Anita "Lady A" White may be far from over.
Although the band and the singer seemed to reach an understanding over the shared name, on Wednesday, musicians Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood revealed that's no longer so.
In June, Lady Antebellum, which fans called "Lady A" for short, announced that they were dropping "Antebellum" from their name as the word is connected to slavery.
"Today we are sad to share that our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended," the band said in a statement. "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."
The suit seeks no money from White, but simply asks the courts to reiterate that the country trio is lawfully using the name.
The court filings allege that Lady Antebellum was using Lady A interchangeably as far back as 2006-2007, and applied to register the name in 2010, which was approved the next year.
"We never even entertained the idea that she shouldn't also be able to use the name Lady A," the trio's statement continues, "and never will – today's action doesn't change that."
The "What If I Never Get Over You" hit makers reveal they'd also been working on a song with White, and they've also taken steps to "prioritize racial equality as a key pillar of the work of LadyAID," their charity.
So far, White has not responded to requests for comment.
