Country-based Grammy-winning band Lady Antebellum has dropped 'Antebellum' from its name and will go by Lady A, moving forward. In a statement that band members Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood issued on Twitter, they informed the world that they had dropped Antebellum from their name considering the term is associated with slavery and also in the wake of the on-going Black Lives Matter protests all over the US and world. Abhay Deol Believes Black Lives Matter Movement Is for Equality, Actor Mentions the Problem with All Lives Matter Initiative.

In the humble statement, the band revealed that the step to undertake the name change had been taken after a lot of introspection, discussion and 'honest conversations' with 'Black friends and colleagues'. They also revealed that as their fans had started referring to their band as Lady A from the beginning itself, they would go with this name henceforth. Netflix Curates 'Black Lives Matter' Collection of Movies, TV Shows, Documentaries.

Check Out Their Post Below:

 

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Dear Fans,⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ As a band, we have strived for our music to be a refuge…inclusive of all. We’ve watched and listened more than ever these last few weeks, and our hearts have been stirred with conviction, our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases Black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday. Now, blindspots we didn’t even know existed have been revealed.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word “antebellum” from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 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. As musicians, it reminded us of all the music born in the south that influenced us…Southern Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel and of course Country. 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. We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued. Causing pain was never our hearts’ intention, but it doesn’t change the fact that indeed, it did just that. So today, we speak up and make a change. We hope you will dig in and join us.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ We feel like we have been Awakened, but this is just one step. There are countless more that need to be taken. We want to do better. We are committed to examining our individual and collective impact and making the necessary changes to practice antiracism. We will continue to educate ourselves, have hard conversations and search the parts of our hearts that need pruning—to grow into better humans, better neighbors. 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…we can be better allies to those suffering from spoken and unspoken injustices, while influencing our children & generations to come.

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They also went on to add that the work 'Antebellum' had come into existence for their band because they had taken their first photos of the band in an 'Antebellum style home' and that they hadn't meant to ever disrespect or disregard anybody's feelings. Fourth of July: Songs By Lady Gaga, Halsey, Beyonce, Fall Out Boy, Lenny Kravitz And More That Ring Perfectly For This Day!.

Admitting that despite it not being their intention ever, they had caused pain and hence took the call to make this change. They also answered before people could pose the question of 'why did you not think of this before' and stated, "We can make no excuse for our lateness to this realisation. What we can do is acknowledge it, turn from it and take action." Well said guys!! We're sure fans and others all over the world appreciate this gesture. ACM Awards Complete Winners List: Keith Urban, Dan + Shay And Kacey Musgraves Win Big!.

The Black Lives Matter protests came into being after the horrific killing of George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed after a police officer put his knee on Floyd's neck. Floyd, who was in handcuffs with hands bound behind his back and even told the officer, "I can't breathe," before he passed away. His death was declared a homicide and the 4 officers who were present at the time of Floyd's death were charged.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 11, 2020 10:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).