(Bloomberg) -- Country group Lady Antebellum, whose name celebrated the pre-Civil War South, will now simply go by Lady A -- the latest example of the entertainment industry rethinking terms with racist connotations.
“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 on Twitter.
The trio, formed in 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee, said the name was inspired by Antebellum-style homes.
“We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued,” they said. “Causing pain was never our hearts' intention, but it doesn't change the fact that indeed, it did just that.”
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The Grammy-winning band, known for hits such as “Need You Now,” joins a broader push to stop celebrating the Confederacy and reconsider symbols associated with slavery and racism. Nascar said this week that it's banning the Confederate battle flag from its events and properties. The flag had been a staple of Nascar races for decades.
The HBO Max streaming service also removed “Gone With the Wind” this week, though it plans to bring back the controversial movie soon “with a discussion of its historical context.” The 1939 Oscar-winning drama is often criticized for racial stereotypes and how it glorified the South during and after the Civil War.
The music industry, meanwhile, is abandoning the expression “urban” to refer to black artists. Record labels and radio stations have begun to drop the term, and the Grammy Awards are scaling back its use.
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