American country music trio Lady A, originally known as Lady Antebellum, was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The trio’s members are Dave Haywood (guitar), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals), and Hillary Scott (background vocals). (background vocals, guitar, piano, mandolin). Kelley is the brother of pop artist Josh Kelley, while Scott is the daughter of country music performer Linda Davis. In an effort to downplay the name’s associations with slavery and the Antebellum South, the band abbreviated the name to “Lady A” in June 2020 during the George Floyd protests. However, this unintentionally led to a dispute with black blues and gospel singer Anita White, who had been going by the name Lady A for more than 20 years.
Before signing with Capitol Nashville, the trio made its debut as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman’s single “Never Alone” in 2007. Lady A has six albums out for Capitol: Lady Antebellum, Need You Now, Own the Night, Golden, 747, Heart Break; the one-holiday album (On This Winter’s Night); and one for BMLG Records: Ocean. She has also released one album for BMLG Records, titled Ocean. The Recording Industry Association of America has awarded the first three albums platinum certification or higher. (RIAA). Nine of the sixteen songs from the albums that have appeared on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts have peaked at number one. The song “Need You Now,” which spent five weeks at the top of the charts in 2009, and the song “Just a Kiss” from 2011 both peaked at number one on the Adult Contemporary charts.
