Episode 43 – Lady A

Lady A to Lady A: “I want you to tell me black lives don’t matter, and I’ll get out of your way”

Pacific Northwest, Lady of Blues, Soul, Funk & Gospel, Anita White — known professionally as Lady A — has been hurled into a whirlwind of public controversy following Lady Antebellum’s decision to change its name last month. The white country trio — featuring Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and David Haywood — dropped Antebellum from its name during the height of racial inequality in America, citing the term “antebellum” as a slave reference. Ironically, they’ve essentially taken the name from a black woman who’s been performing and releasing music under the moniker for more than 30 years.

White says she was “blindsided” and upset by the name change with the two artists and their teams connecting for a private Zoom meeting a week after the news made headlines. The country trio shared, “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.”

The group, which has used both Lady Antebellum and Lady A interchangeably since its inception, has held a trademark on the name for more than a decade. After negotiations fell apart, White’s team requested a $10 million buyout for the use of the name. In return, the band filed a lawsuit in a Nashville courtroom asking for a declaration that the trio lawfully use the Lady A trademark, while White also shares the name and retaining her own rights within federal and state laws. The band is not asking for a monetary reward.

We reached out to White and offered our podcast as a platform for her to share her candid story. She and her producer, John Oliver III, reveal to Buddy Iahn and Matt Bailey about what really happened during their many talks, why the blues singer refuses to co-exist, and how she was cornered into asking for $10 million.

This is the Lady A interview everyone needs to hear!

Check out our other Podcasts! Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, TuneIn and YouTube.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com