Good news continues for Taylor Swift
Monday, October 15, 2007 – The good news continues for Taylor Swift who, at 17, became the youngest winner of the Nashville Songwriters Association songwriter/artist of the year award Sunday night.
Swift, the youngest artist in history to receive this award, tied with superstar Alan Jackson for the evening's top honor. Past winners of the award include Vince Gill, Shania Twain, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith and Brad Paisley.
"I am just freaking out," Swift said of her win. "I'm so excited because I got a publishing deal when I was 14 and every single day was devoted to writing songs. And it was before I got a record deal, it was before any of this started. I was a songwriter in town. And the fact that this award is voted on by my songwriter peers...I don't even know how to explain how honored I feel. I mean, I was sitting at the table and they called Alan Jackson's name and I'm just like, 'Oh my God. That's awesome.' And then all of the sudden they say my name and I'm like, 'What happened?' I'm so humbled by this experience. It's just so unbelievable."
The NSAI Award is Swift's first songwriting award, and is an award voted upon by her peers, the professional songwriter members of the NSAI. She was honored earlier this year by AOL as Country's Hottest Female Artist, won the 2007 CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year, and is a nominee for the prestigious Horizon Award at next month's CMA Awards as well as for Favorite Female Country Artist at this year's American Music Awards. Taylor is the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut album.
Swift spent all of Sunday flying home to Nashville from Canada in order to attend the Songwriter's Foundation event. Currently on tour with Brad Paisley, she played a show in Saskatoon, Canada on Saturday night.
Professional membership within NSAI is quite elite. In order to qualify as a professional member of NSAI, a songwriter must derive the majority of his or her income from songwriting. Professional NSAI members include Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees and chart-topping hit-makers.
More news for Taylor Swift
CD reviews for Taylor Swift
Fearless
Taylor Swift took the county world by storm with her huge selling debut and its five hit singles. With a huge marketing push and myspace, Swift was on her way. Kind of like an Avril Lavigne for the teen female country set.
Sophomore slump? There's no indication of that. Swift once again writes her material - all 13 songs here with help sometimes from Liz Rose, Colbie Caillat and John Rich. Swift writes of what she knows about - relationships and teen love come and gone in songs speak to her fans. »»» |
Taylor Swift Limited Deluxe Edition
She plays guitar, writes her own songs and is a hit factory off the strength of her first record. Oh, and she's 17. At an age when most worry about the SATs, Swift cobbles tunes that reach right through the radio and plug into even the most padlocked-hearted listener. Whether it's the wistful remembrance of the bygone sweetheart (the big hit "Tim McGraw"), the unrequited longing for a friendship to catch fire (another hit, "Teardrops on My Guitar") or the heady »»» |
The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection
Taylor Swift's Christmas offering, much like her last name, is over swiftly. There are only six songs on this short disc: two originals, a couple modern holiday tunes and two traditional favorites.
One original, "Christmas When You Were Mine," speaks of better days. It's a sad song where Swift finds it hard to find much cheer. "Merry Christmas everybody/That'll have to be something I just say this year."
"Christmas Must Be Something More" »»» |
Editorial: American Idol's Carrie Underwood can sing –
If anyone saw the Super Bowl – what a great great game that was – they would have heard American Idol winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood sing the National Anthem. Underwood did with her voice what Kelly Clarkson did last week with her written words – give it to Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Records,, who tried defending Taylor Swift by knocking American Idol performers. »»»
Concert Review: McBride, Adkins shine sometimes –
As Martina McBride pointed out, the pairing of the country singer with Trace Adkins on their current jaunt was surprising. After all, she's of diva-quality voice, petite, non-controversial unless you call singing songs that empower women controversial. Adkins, on the other hand, has not been afraid to speak his mind with a kick butt attitude.... »»»
Concert Review: Eilen Jewell wears her musical hats well –
Eilen Jewell wears a lot of musical hats. The Idaho native, who now lives in Boston, fronts the Eilen (ee-lin) Jewell Band, a pretty much traditional country band. She's a member the Sacred Shakers, an octet doing gospel country with a country beat. And she has yet another project, Butcher Holler, covering Loretta Lynn songs.... »»»
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Currently at the CST blogs
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Here it is the top 30 for 2009. This isn't authoritative in case you thought otherwise. It's just one man's opinion about his favorite CDs of the year, which seemed a cut above everything else. It was incredibly hard figuring out a number one CD for the year between the Avett Brothers, Brad Paisley and George Strait. All three were great albums from different perspectives of country and roots music, and at any one time over the past few days, each was my favorite. Come back in a few days, and who knows? Maybe the order will change.... »»»
Haywire
There are two versions of Josh Turner's fourth CD - standard and deluxe. The deluxe has the same 11 tracks as the standard, plus (among other goodies) live versions of previously released songs Long Black Train and Your Man . But don't spend more money than you have to; if it's redundancy you're looking for, there's plenty to be had on the standard version. »»» |
Somewhere in Time
If Rascal Flatts is country music's clean cut, commercially palatable Beatles, then Reckless Kelly is the genre's Rolling Stones; grittier, more authentically influenced, rawer at the core even when their output is every bit as polished. The brainchild of Idaho brothers Willy and Cody Braun, Reckless Kelly was crowned Austin's Best Country Band in the city's 2008 music awards, an incredible honor. »»» |
As He Wanders
Fans of country - and we're using a definition starting just west of real country and stopping a bit south of alt.-country - who aren't sold on Austin's Texas Sapphires four songs in can be suspected of unnecessary stubbornness. Just look what that first third offers. You get both male and female voices: Billy Brent Malkus' is handsome yet tough and wiry enough for a bar fight, and Rebecca Lucille Cannon's is lovely yet, well, tough and wiry enough for a bar fight. »»» |
Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers
In the 60's through '80's, the Statler Brothers, Don and Harold Reid, Phil Balsley, Jimmy Fortune and the late Lew Dewitt, were the hottest thing going. They set the standard for modern country vocal groups. Bluegrassers Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent do a great job of honoring their idols, covering classics like "Flowers On The Wall," "Bed of Roses," "Thank You World" and "Class of '57." »»» |
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