Aug 25, 2026 - Music

Taylor Swift says she cherishes her Nashville songwriting roots

Adam Tamburin

Taylor Swift performs onstage during NSAI 2022 Nashville Songwriter Awards at Ryman Auditorium on September 20, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. — Nashville-based singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

At 10 years old, Taylor Swift started plotting her path to superstardom, and the first item on the to-do list was The Bluebird Cafe.

The latest: During a lengthy conversation about her songwriting career this week with Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason, Jr., Swift remembered learning that Faith Hill got discovered by a record company executive while she was singing backup at The Bluebird.

Zoom in: "I started learning about The Bluebird Cafe, made it a personal life goal to get to perform there."

On Nov. 4, 2oo4, she did. That performance helped her get her own record deal, and set her on the path to world domination.

The intrigue: Swift radiated affection for her Music Row roots during the conversation with Mason.

What she's saying: "I love my country roots more and more the further along this path I get and I want to honor them more and more," she said.

"I feel more and more tied to them, more loyal to them. The people who shaped who I am as an artist and a writer, that all happened in Nashville."

What we're watching: This year marks the 20th anniversary of her debut album, which was released Oct. 24, 2006.

Swift re-recorded that first album during her masters fight, and although the fight was resolved, she hinted that she would still share that work.
Fans are wondering if her kind words for Nashville are a hint that another re-release could be coming soon.

Watch the interview on YouTube

Add Axios on Google

Taylor Swift says she cherishes her Nashville songwriting roots

More Nashville stories