Lady A is a Grammy-winning American country trio from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2006. The group, known until 2020 as Lady Antebellum, is made up of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood. Their breakthrough came with "Need You Now," a song that became one of the defining country hits of its era and helped make them one of the most successful groups in modern country music.
In 2026, Lady A returned with new music and a new chapter. The trio released the surprise single "Bigger Picture" on October 28, 2026, the first taste of their forthcoming 10th studio album. The release arrived at a difficult time for the group, as Charles Kelley shared news of his health battle, giving the song's message about faith and hope a deeper personal meaning.
Lady A Members
Lady A has kept the same three members since forming in Nashville in 2006. Each member brings a distinct role to the group's harmonies and live sound.
- Hillary Scott - lead and backing vocals. Scott is the daughter of country singer Linda Davis.
- Charles Kelley - lead and backing vocals and guitar. Kelley is the brother of pop singer Josh Kelley.
- Dave Haywood - backing vocals, guitar, piano and mandolin.
Together, Scott, Kelley and Haywood write, record and perform as a trio, with Scott and Kelley sharing lead vocals and Haywood anchoring the group's instrumental sound.
Career
Lady A made their debut in 2007 as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman's single "Never Alone," which reached No. 14 on the Adult Contemporary chart. They signed to Capitol Nashville in July 2007 and released their debut single, "Love Don't Live Here," in September 2007. The song reached No. 3 on Hot Country Songs.
Their self-titled debut album, Lady Antebellum, was released on April 15, 2008. It became the first album by a new duo or group to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
The breakthrough came with "Need You Now," released in August 2009. The song spent five weeks at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart. The album Need You Now, released on January 26, 2010, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 480,922 copies sold in its first week. "Just a Kiss," released in 2011, debuted and peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and also reached No. 1 on the country and Adult Contemporary charts.
The group has scored nine No. 1 singles on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, with 16 chart singles in total. After starting out on Capitol Nashville, they signed to Big Machine in August 2018.
Lady A have won seven Grammy Awards. They won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "I Run to You" at the 52nd Grammy Awards. At the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011, they won five awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Need You Now." They won Best Country Album for Own the Night at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012.
Their studio albums are Lady Antebellum (2008), Need You Now (2010), Own the Night (2011), Golden (2013), 747 (2014), Heart Break (2017), Ocean (2019) and What a Song Can Do (2021), along with the Christmas album On This Winter's Night (2012). A 10th studio album is forthcoming.
In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, the group shortened its name from Lady Antebellum to Lady A to blunt the name's associations with slavery and the Antebellum South. The change led to a dispute with Black blues and gospel singer Anita White, who had used the name Lady A for more than 20 years.
The trio announced a hiatus in October 2015, during which Kelley worked on solo material, and later returned to touring and recording. They held the Our Kind of Vegas residency in 2019 and became members of the Grand Ole Opry on January 21, 2021, after being invited by Darius Rucker. By August 2013, they had sold more than 10 million albums in the US, and their overall album sales stand at about 18 million, according to Hello Rayo in December 2025.
Bigger Picture and 2026
"Bigger Picture" was released as a surprise single on October 28, 2026, as the first taste of Lady A's forthcoming 10th studio album. The song was produced by Jay Joyce and written by Trannie Anderson, Devin Dawson, Paul Sikes and Andy Albert. The demo reached Hillary Scott the day before the trio went into the studio to finish the album, and they cut the song the next day.
Read the Bigger Picture lyrics for more on the song, and see our Lady A surprise single Bigger Picture news report for the full story of the release.
One week after recording "Bigger Picture," around September 22, 2026, Charles Kelley revealed on September 29, 2026 that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer. The timing matters: the diagnosis was shared one week after the recording, not after the song's October 28 release. The song's message about trusting God's bigger plan took on new personal meaning for the trio. Kelley has said that treatment is working well, despite the physical toll, in updates in late October 2026.
Lady A will close the year on the road with This Winter's Night Tour 2026, which starts on December 10, 2026, in Northfield, Ohio.
Lady A Songs
Lady A's catalogue runs from early country hits to the ballads that made them famous. Their signature songs include:
- "Love Don't Live Here" (2007)
- "Never Alone" with Jim Brickman (2007)
- "I Run to You"
- "Need You Now" (2009)
- "Just a Kiss" (2011)
- "Bigger Picture" (2026)
For more country profiles, read our Tim McGraw biography and Shania Twain biography.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official lyric video for "Bigger Picture" below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Lady A's members?
Lady A are Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood. Scott and Kelley share lead vocals, while Haywood sings backing vocals and plays guitar, piano and mandolin.
Why did they change their name?
The group shortened its name from Lady Antebellum to Lady A in June 2020 to blunt the name's associations with slavery and the Antebellum South.
What is Bigger Picture about?
"Bigger Picture" is a song about faith and hope, and about trusting God's bigger plan when life is uncertain. It was released on October 28, 2026, as the first taste of the group's 10th studio album.
What is Charles Kelley's diagnosis?
Charles Kelley revealed on September 29, 2026 that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer. He has said treatment is working well, despite the physical toll.
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