By: Neal Burnette-Irwin
MTN Reporter
Taylor Swift was awarded 'Songwriter-Artist of the Decade' by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) at their annual Nashville Songwriter Awards. Between 2007 and 2015, Swift won NSAI's "Songwriter-Artist of the Year" 7 times.
The award honored Swift’s chart toppers between 2010 and 2019, which highlighted when the singer-songwriter transitioned from country to pop music. Some of the songs Swift mentioned in her acceptance speech were hits like, “ivy,” “All Too Well,” and “Shake It Off.”
NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison presented the award to Swift while the Ryman Auditorium’s 2000-plus audience gave the international superstar a standing ovation. Herbison recalled his first impression of the then 17 year old Swift as a "bright-eyed blonde-haired teenager who had something special” and went on to call Swift “the most important artist on the planet.”
After Swift accepted her award, she went on to sing an acoustic version of her ten-minute song "All Too Well” which was met with another standing ovation. Half of the attendees were still out of their seats from Swift’s initial speech.
Other winners include Matthew West who was presented with songwriter-artist of the year and GAYLE who’s hit “abcdefu” in this year’s “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” Awards. Garth Brooks was honored with the Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement by his wife, Trisha Yearwood. Luke Bryan and Jordan Davis won song of the year for their collaboration “Buy Dirt.” Ashley Gorley was also named songwriter of the decade like Swift. Performers included Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, and Thomas Rhett.
Vince Gill and Toby Keith were previous songwriter-artist of the decade winners for the decades 1990-99 and 2000-09, respectively.