The Chicks Talk 'Awkward and Uncomfortable' Lady A Name Change Lawsuit
Speaking out. The Chicks, formerly known as The Dixie Chicks, opened up about the other band who changed their name amid the Black Lives Matter movement: Lady A, formerly known as Lady Antebellum.
“I think it was good. It was news to us that they had gotten that trademark, what, six years ago or something,” The Chicks singer Natalie Maines said during the Tuesday, July 21, episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “I wasn’t up to speed on what they were doing. I think it was the right move.”
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Maines, 54, also addressed the current lawsuit that Lady A, which consists of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, is going through with blues singer Anita “Lady A” White.
“I think it’s been very awkward and uncomfortable to have this whole lawsuit and it’s kind of going against the point of changing their name,” she stated.
On June 11, the band posted via Instagram that they had decided to change their name, dropping the Antebellum.
“After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word ‘antebellum’ from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start,” the trio shared on June 11. “When we set out together almost 14 years ago, we named our band after the southern ‘antebellum’ style home where we took our first photos. … We are regretful and embarrassed to say that we did not take into account the associations that weigh down this word referring to the period of history before The Civil War, which includes slavery. We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued.”
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One day later, White spoke out against the name change. “This is my life. Lady A is my brand, I’ve used it for over 20 years, and I’m proud of what I’ve done,” the Seattle-based artist told Rolling Stone. “This is too much right now.”
The band and the blues singer spoke via a Zoom chat on June 15, both parties revealed via Instagram at the time. “Today, we connected privately with the artist Lady A. Transparent, honest, and authentic conversations were had,” the band posted. “We are excited to share we are moving forward with positive solutions and common ground. The hurt is turning into hope.”
However, things changed. On June 16, White claimed that she received an agreement and that the Nashville-based band is “trying to erase” her. On July 9, the seven-time Grammy winners confirmed they were filing a lawsuit.
“Today we are sad to share that our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended. 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,” they said in a statement to Us. “We hope Anita and the advisers she is now listening to will change their minds about their approach. We can do so much more together than in this dispute.”
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White later slammed the band, telling Us that they have “used their wealth and influence to intimidate and bully me into submission without offering any real recompense for appropriating my name.”
The suit is still ongoing.
