Lady Antebellum suing black artist who went by Lady A for decades for rights to name

Anita “Lady A” White is speaking out again after the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum announced they’re suing her for use of the name she’s performed under since 1987.

In June, the popular country trio -- previously known as Lady Antebellum -- announced the decision to change their name to Lady A "after much personal reflection" and conversations with their "closest Black friends" because the word "antebellum" refers to a period of time "which includes slavery." However, White, a blues singer from Seattle, Wash., had already been using the name, leading to a dispute and eventual lawsuit filed Wednesday in Nashville’s U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“I think they always knew what they were gonna do,” White told Vulture in a recent interview.

“You don’t get to just come and take because you have that privilege,” White told the outlet, referring to both the band and the music industry as a whole. “We don’t have that luxury or that privilege, so we need somebody to help us and lift us up.”