(Yahoo Entertainment) After 14 years and eight album releases, Grammy-winning country trio Lady Antebellum has officially changed its name, dropping the “Antebellum” due to “associations that weigh down this word referring to the period of history before the Civil War, which includes slavery.” From now on, the band will officially go by its longtime nickname, Lady A.
The Antebellum South was a period in U.S. history, from the late 18th century until the start of the Civil War in 1861, which was marked by the region’s economic growth largely due to a reliance on slave labor. In a heartfelt statement posted on Instagram Thursday morning and signed by members Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood, and Charles Kelley, the group explained that “after much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of [their] closest black friends and colleagues” during the weeks of protest following George Floyd’s death, they realized that their band name — which they explained was naively inspired by the Southern home where they shot their first promotional photos — was no longer appropriate.