Responding to the 'Need You Now' hitmakers' lawsuit against her, blues singer Anita White also claims that the trio have erased her from every platform in their massive rebranding efforts.
- July 14, 2020
AceShowbiz - Blues singer Anita White has fired back at the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum's attempt to make her drop the name she's performed under since 1987.
The "Need You Now" hitmakers decided to adjust their stage name last month (June) after acknowledging that the word 'Antebellum' has close ties with slavery in America's southern states.
After appearing to reach a compromise Washington state-based artist White, who had been using Lady A professionally for years, things turned nasty, and last week (ends July 12) bandmates Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott accused White of trying to cash in on the situation by demanding $10 million (£8 million) to stop performing as Lady A and filed a lawsuit against her.
In a new statement to Variety, the star claimed the band tried to convince her to give up her stage name by using her "love of God," as well as "big money and privilege."
"During initial calls with the members of the band - Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood - I hoped that we could reach an agreement that left both sides whole," she explained. "Lady Antebellum understood that their use of 'Antebellum' was offensive and that their adoption of Lady A harms me, as I have been using the name professionally for over 30 years."
"Though they recognized their impact, Lady Antebellum has not been receptive to my proposals for correcting their infringement... Due to Lady Antebellum's massive rebranding efforts, Lady Antebellum has erased me from every platform," she added, accusing the group of using, "their wealth and influence to intimidate and bully me into submission without offering any real recompense for appropriating my name."
"It is now clear that their apologies, friendly texts, and playing on my love of God were just insincere gestures aimed at quieting me," she claimed.
"Well, I will not be quiet any longer," she insisted, adding, "Hillary, Charles and Dave are attempting to change the narrative by minimizing my voice and belittling my experience as an artist - as if having a lot of money gives them permission to tread on my rights."
"I have worked too long and too hard to just give my name away."
