Taylor #Swift Biography: Who Is Taylor Swift?

Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and gained fame as a country singer at the age of 16. Early hits like 'Love Story' and 'You Belong With Me' appealed to country and pop fans alike. This has contributed to the success of her multi-platinum albums, including the Grammy-winning Fearless (2008). Swift continued to reach the top with her 1989 studio effort, which featured the number 1 singles “Shake it Off” and “Blank Space” and won Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.

Taylor Swift spent her early years at her family's Christmas tree farm in nearby Wyomissing. Her grandmother was a professional opera singer and Taylor soon followed in her footsteps. At the age of 10, Swift sang at a variety of local events, including fairs and competitions. She started writing her own songs and at the age of 12 she learned to play the guitar. To pursue her music career, Taylor visited Nashville, Tennessee, often. It was also the country music capital. There she wrote songs and tried to get a record deal. She took note of her dedication and moved to nearby Hendersonville (Tennessee), in an effort to advance her career.

A great performance at The Bluebird Café in Nashville helped Swift get a contract with Scott Borchetta's Big Machine Records. She released her first single, “Tim McGraw” (2006) and the song became a Top 10 hit on the charts. It also appeared on her self-titled debut album in October of the same year, which sold more than 5 million copies. More popular singles soon followed, including “Our Song”, a no.1 hit for country music. “Teardrops on My Guitar”, “Picture to Burn” and “Shoulder've Said No” were also successful songs. Taylor also received critical praise for her debut effort. She won the Horizon Award of the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award for Top New Female Vocalist in 2007.