Taylor Swift flies to the heights at a very tender age

At age 14, she left a major label because she wanted to write her own songs.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Similar to the relentless and maddening heartbeat Edgar Allan Poe describes in his famous short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," fledgling country singer Taylor Swift remembers a similar experience at age 13 when she signed a development deal at RCA Records.
Only her source of torture was a small box located at the Nashville label where songwriters would pitch their music for what would eventually become her debut album.
A songwriter herself, the notion of giving away her independence and losing her personal identity for the sake of a recording contract was troublesome.
"I'll never forget," said Swift, calling from her home in Hendersonville, Tenn. "I remember I was always cringing when I'd see that box because I knew that meant that would be where I had to look for music that wasn't going to be mine."
What happened next was truly amazing. Swift refused to give away her integrity so she left the label, instead opting to work as a songwriter at a publishing house as an after-school job.
"When I was 14, I walked away and just kind of decided I had to look for something else out there," said Swift, 17. "The label was shocked because in Nashville, nobody does that. Nobody walks away from the biggest and most powerful record label in town. It just doesn't happen."
Maturity beyond her years
Well, it did, and Swift never looked back. A few years later, she hooked up with Big Machine Records founder Scott Borchetta, who insisted she write her album. The result is her self-titled debut, which arrived in stores last fall. Already gold, the album is filled with down-to-earth, heart-shaped tunes that seemingly belie her teenage years.
Though she admits she hasn't been married or experienced motherhood, Swift has a knack for writing emotional material that crosses generations. Furthermore, can you imagine how her mature spirit would have been silenced for a more playful innocence if RCA Records had its way?
Originally from Wyomissing, Pa., Swift tells a clich & eacute;d story of growing up introverted and lost among her more gregarious clique-friendly peers. Yet there's a reason it's a songwriter's clich & eacute; with Swift recounting a familiar tale.
"I was really kind of an outsider in school and I think everybody goes through that awkward phase where things are just not matching up," Swift said. "But I was always on the outside looking in. I didn't have any friends. I remember just not being able to talk to anybody but I was able to watch people."
Held in high regard
No longer an outsider, Swift's songwriting talents have been recognized by not only the CD-buying public but her music peers as well. After opening for Rascal Flatts last fall, she's currently on the road supporting George Strait. This includes a Friday show at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. In addition, she's scheduled to open for Brad Paisley this spring/summer.
Swift first gained attention with her debut single "Tim McGraw," which was actually more of a love letter to an old flame than about Mr. Faith Hill. Still, the notion of calling a song "Tim McGraw" is an odd move; however, it did help radio programmers take notice.
"It is a little weird but Tim McGraw was one of the first people to know we were putting the single out, and he and Faith both love the song," Swift said. "I talked to him about a month ago when the song was entering the top 10 and I asked him his first impression and he said, 'I felt really old.' But he also said, 'Me and Faith love the song. We're glad it's working out for you.'"