Years before Taylor Swift became the global superstar we see at the Super Bowl, she was a young singer from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She loved playing her guitar and performed as the opening act at major sporting events like the U.S. Open, NASCAR, and the World Series, without the need for complicated ticket rollouts.
In her early years, Swift was more connected to Francis Scott Key than Travis Kelce, using the national anthem as a way to perform in front of large crowds. She sent her demo tapes everywhere, looking for any break she could get. In a 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, she explained, “When I was 11 years old, it occurred to me that the national anthem was the best way to get in front of a large group of people if you don’t have a record deal. So I started singing the national anthem anywhere I possibly could.”
Swift had a significant connection to the Philadelphia Phillies early in her career. She sang the anthem before 45,900 fans at Game 3 of the 2008 World Series, a game the Phillies won on their way to their last championship. Tim McGraw, whose name is also the title of one of Swift’s early hits, delivered the game ball. Alongside other Philadelphia icons like Patti LaBelle and John Oates, Swift was a World Series anthem singer in 2008.
Who would have guessed that one of these anthem singers would eventually become a 14-time Grammy winner, including four wins for Album of the Year?
