Young Taylor Swift On Her Way to Stardom

16 year old Taylor Swift ignored the advice of veteran country music promoter and producer Jerry Bentley and proceeded to release a single that landed at No. 14 on the Billboard chart. The song, 'Tim McGraw,' is her own composition and tells the story about a couple that fell in love while listening to a Tim McGraw song.

Swift wrote or co-wrote each of the eleven songs on her first CD--an accomplishment that sets her apart from other country stars who broke through in their teens, such as LeeAnn Rimes and Tanya Tucker. Liz Rose, 49, who co-wrote some of the songs on the CD with Swift states, 'She's a genius, coming in with ideas and melody. She'd come in and write with this old lady, and I never once second-guessed her. I respect her a lot.'

Rose says that Swift was born to be a singer-songwriter.

Presently Swift is the opening act for George Strait's tour, which begins in January. She recently opened for Rascal Flats in Moline, Ill. before a crowd of 10,000.

Taylor Swift grew up on a farm in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania and was inspired to become a singer by her grandmother, who was an opera singer. At the age of eleven, she performed the National Anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers NBA game. She then began hitting record company offices, announcing to anyone who would listen, 'I'm Taylor. I'm eleven and I want a record deal.'

She began writing songs at the age of 12, and at the age of 16 she had a record deal. She is homeschooled so that she can focus on her music. Free time is rare, however. She recently had an outing to a mall with a friend--a rarity for the young singer--and although she takes in an occasional high school football game, she had to miss her homecoming because of career commitments.

Taylor says she doesn't go to parties with her teenage friends. 'BMI and Sony Music parties are the ones I like,' she said.

Not only did promoter/producer Jerry Bentley discourage Swift, but he stated, 'Tell her to get back in school and come back and see me when she's 18, and bring her parents. Even if she were 25, the odds would be against her. At 16 it's near impossible. You have to work 300-plus days for a couple of years, and there's no guarantee even then.'

Perhaps Bentley hasn't heard of Swift's recent hit single, or maybe he had just as soon ignore it. After all, she is defying the odds and proving him wrong.

When informed about Bentley's remarks, Swift stated nonchalantly, 'I'd like to meet him and sit down and play for him.'

I have a feeling that in time she will.