Lady A, the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum, has filed a trademark lawsuit against Anita White, a Black blues singer who said she’s used that same stage name for two decades. In a suit filed in Tennessee District Court, the band argues for a ruling that would allow them to use the trademark “Lady A” name without infringing on the Seattle-based singer's trademark rights. The band said they had been in negotiations with White but that they fell apart after she demanded $10 million dollars to allow them the new name. White, however, had reportedly complained about the group failing to reach out to her before they changed their name. The “Need You Now” band, which changed its name amid widespread protests against racial injustice, claims it’s used the two names interchangeably for the better part of a decade but officially changed its name last month. Citing U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filings from 2011, Billboard reports that the band has registered the Lady A name without opposition.
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