10 Things You Didn’t Know About Lady Antebellum

Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood decided to join forces in 2006 and create the trio Lady Antebellum. It was the best decision they ever made. Individually, they’re each incredibly talented vocalists and lyricists in their own right; but together, they’re a creative force to be reckoned with, as evidenced by the many awards bestowed on the trio by the Recording Academy, the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Moreover, Charles, Hillary and Dave have endeared themselves to fans with their warm harmonies, relatable lyrics and approachable personas.

From the first “Baby A” to their inaugural Vegas residency, here are 10 things we bet you didn’t know about Lady Antebellum:

1. MySpace brought them together. That’s right, MySpace. Hillary and Charles actually met in a bar in downtown Nashville, where they recognized one another from their profiles on the social platform. Charles invited Hillary—who was pursuing a solo career at the time—to write with him and his buddy, Dave. (Charles and Dave have been friends since middle school.)

2. They were discovered at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley. After sensing immediate chemistry during songwriting sessions, Charles, Hillary and Dave started playing their songs around town. They soon earned a regular slot at the iconic bar and grill, where music industry executives heard them and signed them to their first record deal.

3. They came up with their band name during a photoshoot. Dressed in period costumes, and posing in front of huge antebellum homes, Dave suggested that Lady Antebellum could make for a strong name.

4. Hillary grew up on tour with Reba. As a toddler, she literally used to sit on Reba’s road cases and watch her perform, along with her mother, Linda Davis, who sang background vocals for the superstar. In addition, Hillary’s mom recorded a now famous duet with Reba that became one of the Country singer’s biggest hits, “Does He Love You.”

5. Charles is related to actress Katherine Heigl. The Grey’s Anatomy alum is married to his brother, Josh Kelley, who’s also a talented singer/songwriter in his own right.

6. They’ve all written songs for other artists. In addition to penning many of the songs they record as Lady Antebellum, the trio has co-written cuts recorded by Luke Bryan (“Do I”), Hunter Hayes (“Better Than This”) and Miranda Lambert (“Love Song”), among others. In addition, Hillary shares writing credit on the Sara Evans chart-topper, “A Little Bit Stronger.” Meanwhile, Charles co-wrote “Homegrown Honey,” a No. 1 hit for Darius Rucker.

7. They’re all married (just not to each other), and each of their significant other’s worked in the entertainment business. Charles married Cassie McConnell in the Summer of 2009. She formerly worked as a publicist for his brother, Josh. Hillary’s husband, Chris Tyrrell, was a drummer for Country group Love & Theft when the couple—both on tour with Tim McGraw—started dating. After he married Hillary in 2012, he started drumming for Lady Antebellum. The father of three is currently off the road, choosing to stay home with their growing brood. Dave also tied the knot in 2012 with Kelli Cashiola. Kelli previously worked at Warner Music Nashville before joining the Starstruck Entertainment team, where she helped manage the careers of A-list acts like Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson.

8. They have six kids between them. Hillary was the first of the trio to become a parent with the birth of daughter Eisele Kaye in 2013. Following a devastating miscarriage, she then welcomed twin girls, Emory and Betsy. Dave has both a son (Cash) and a daughter (Lillie); and Charles is dad to an only child, son Ward.

9. They all have side gigs. The “Need You Now” singers took a brief hiatus from Lady Antebellum to pursue projects on their own. Hillary released a Gospel record, Love Remains, with her family, which earned her a No. 1 song at Christian radio with poignant ballad “Thy Will” and two GRAMMY® Awards. Charles released a critically-acclaimed solo album, The Driver, and supported the project on tour without his longtime bandmates. Meanwhile, Dave lent his musicianship and production prowess to other artists during the break, producing the self-titled EP for all-girl group Post Monroe.

10. They took a gamble on Vegas, and won. The trio took their act to Las Vegas in 2019 during their first-ever residency at the Palms Casino Resort. During their Our Kind of Vegas run, they made sure every show was unique by switching up the nightly set list, spotlighting deep cuts and inviting surprise guests to perform with them onstage.