Lady A Countersues Band Formerly Known As Lady Antebellum For Copyright Infringement
In the midst of a legal battle for the rights to the stage name Lady A, blues singer Anita White is counter-suing Lady Antebellum.
White filed a lawsuit for trademark infringement against the band on Tuesday (September 15). In the suit, White contends that she has common law rights to the moniker Lady A since she has been performing under the name for 20 years, according to legal documents obtained by Variety and Billboard.
In the complaint, White stated that by changing their name, “Internet and social media searches for ‘Lady A,’ which had readily returned results for her music, were now dominated by references to Lady Antebellum. Ms. White’s Lady A brand had been usurped and set on the path to erasure.”
White is seeking unspecified damages and royalties “for any sales of music or musical performances rendered under the Lady A [trademark],” Billboard further reported.Back in June, Lady Antebellum announced that they would officially change their band’s name to Lady A due to the racist connotation. The band connected with White to reach a solution after it was revealed that she had already been using the moniker for the past two decades. However, in June, the band filed a lawsuit for the legal right to use Lady A after discussions fell through. The band argued that they have been using Lady A and Lady Antebellum interchangeably since 2006.
