Roots, Toots n' Hoots Blog

Swift is, understandably, a no show

Jeffrey Remz  |  November 6, 2014

Taylor Swift may be the biggest superstar out there these days in country music, but she was nowhere to be found on Wednesday night at the Country Music Association awards. For the most part.

Swift received a mention twice. The first time was when co-hosts Brads Paisley and Carrie Underwood joked that the U.S. was suffering from an illness. Of course, everyone thought he was referring to Ebola. Instead, it was "Post-Partum Taylor Swift Disorder" or "PPTSD."

"Why isn't our government doing something about this?" Paisley wondered. He accused President Obama of not caring about it, with Underwood saying that's why the Democrats lost the Senate the previous day. Paisley said he knew the president didn't care because after jumping the White House fence, he went in the White House and asked him if he was concerned.

"Who's gonna fill her shoes," they sang. "Who's gonna stand that tall - who's going to be country and poppy and sing a song called 'Tim McGraw' (Swift already did)....We are sad because it looks like New York's gain is Nashville's loss, but country music is just going to have to shake it off."

At the end, Paisley joked, "If you ever want to come back, there's a seat right here, It's Blake's we'll kick him out."

It should come as no great shock that Swift was not there. She made it quite clear she was heading into a pop direction with her new mega-selling disc, "1989," which is a dance album. Since it was only released last week, it may have seemed a contradiction almost for her to be at a country event when she's blazing a new trail. And it's not like she thumbed her nose at the country crowd either. She's never been one to do that.

There are many of us out there who think she wasn't particularly country to begin with - except for the great song, "Mean."

The CMAs dealt with it in a cute way, making a bit of fun at her expense, although not too much, while acknowledging the fact that she is not there.

The bottom line is that Swift could not be faulted for not showing up even though almost everyone does (except Toby Keith). She's big enough to call her own shots, and that's exactly what she did.

Some will fill her shoes...eventually.