Your Take: Teen Sensations

by Karlie Justus

Brody included Craig Shelburne’s CMT article “Fifteen Teens Who Found Country Music Success Before Taylor Swift” in Monday’s News Roundup. On the heels of Swift’s nearly unstoppable rise into country royalty, Shelburne took the opportunity to look back on other teen sensations in the genre:

Taylor Swift is undeniably country music’s most popular teenager today. At age 18, she spent six weeks at No. 1 with “Our Song” — which she wrote for a school talent show. By the time she turns 20 in December, she’ll have sold 10 million albums, sold out an arena tour, graced countless magazine covers and solidified her spot as one of the most popular musicians of the decade.
However, she’s certainly not the first fresh-faced youngster to make a name for herself in Nashville. Here are 15 more whippersnappers who ultimately found brilliant careers in country music.

Shelburne went on to list some of Swift’s teen predecessors, including Lynn Anderson, The Everly Brothers, Crystal Gayle, Alison Krauss, Brenda Lee, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, LeAnn Rimes, Jean Shepard, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Marty Stuart, Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams Jr. and Wynonna.
Here are a few of the highlights:

The Everly Brothers
Phil Everly was 18

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