Lady Antebellum To Lady A

The country group formerly known as Lady Antebellum is making a big change.

The group, consisting of musicians Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott, is changing its name to Lady A, the nickname given to the band by their fans since 2006.

The band issued a Twitter statement Thursday morning, outlining the reasons for the change and their plans as a band moving forward.

“After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closet black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word “Antebellum” from our name and move forward as Lady A.”

“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… it reminded us of all the music born in the south that influenced us… But 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,” the band said. “We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued… So today, we speak up and make a change. We hope you will dig in and join us.”

The statement continues with actions the band will take to move forward. “We feel like we have been awakened, but this is just one step. There are countless more that need to be taken. We are committed to examining out individual and collective impact and making the necessary changes to practice antiracism,” The band continues, “Our next outward step will be a donation to the equal justice initiative through Ladyaid. Our prayer is that if we lead by example…with humility, love, empathy and action.”