Charles Kelley, the brother of pop singer Josh Kelley, had already published two of his own pop albums before he tried to restart in 2005 in Nashville. He teamed up with his old friend Dave Haywood, and later the singer Hillary Scott joined, she is the daughter of country singer Linda Davis.

The band name comes from a Latin term. It is used to describe the period before a war (Antebellum), in the U.S. its usually the time it meant before the Civil War. Charles Kelley used the term during the viewing of photographs of historic houses, at a joint debate the band decided to prefix it with "Lady".

For the first time the trio gained success  in 2007 when they accompanied the pianist Jim Brickman on his hit "Never Alone". That same year they got a recording contract with Capitol Records and released the debut single "Love Don't Live Here". They reached  third in the U.S. country charts and were also successful on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's debut album "Lady Antebellum" reached number one in the country album charts and reached number four of the U.S. album charts. By decoupling "I Run to You", Lady Antebellum also topped the country singles charts.

The band won the 2008 Newcomer Award from the Academy of Country Music for Top New Vocal Group, and was nominated at the Grammy Awards 2009 for the prize for best new artist and for best country performance. They also won as the best group of the year the CMA Award in 2009 from the Country Music Association. The song "I Run to You" won at the Grammy Awards in 2010, the Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Group.

  At the Grammy Awards 2011, the band won five prizes and was the most successful Band there. 

By Melanie Bradley