Introduction
Country Legend Dwight Yoakam Says Taylor Swift Is Still Country — And Fans Are Divided
Country traditionalist meets pop superstar? It’s a conversation that’s been dividing fans for over a decade, and now one of country’s most respected voices is weighing in. In a recent interview, legendary singer-songwriter Dwight Yoakam surprised fans by defending Taylor Swift‘s country roots — and even suggesting her music still qualifies as country today.
Yes, you read that right.
“People forget where she started,” Yoakam said during a podcast appearance last week. “You listen to her early stuff — ‘Tim McGraw’, ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ — that’s as country as anything from the 2000s. And even now, if you strip back the production, a lot of her storytelling is pure country.”
The comments have sparked immediate reaction from fans across social media. Some are applauding Yoakam for acknowledging Swift’s evolution without erasing her beginnings. Others — especially country purists — aren’t quite ready to welcome Taylor back to the barn dance.
“She left us for pop,” one Twitter user wrote. “She doesn’t get to come back now that it’s cool again.”
But Yoakam disagrees with that kind of gatekeeping. Known for blending honky-tonk with rockabilly in his own career, he’s no stranger to pushing boundaries. “Genres are just labels,” he added. “What matters is the soul of the music — and she’s always had that.”
Taylor Swift, who launched her career in Nashville at just 16, was once the darling of country radio. She won the CMA Horizon Award in 2007 and was named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association in 2009. But after her 2014 album 1989, she made a full pivot into pop — and hasn’t looked back.
Still, traces of her country past linger. Tracks like “Betty” and “You’re on Your Own, Kid” from more recent albums have folk and Americana influences, and her frequent acoustic performances show her songwriting roots.
“It’s all storytelling,” Yoakam insisted. “That’s what country music has always been about — telling stories that feel real.”
While Taylor herself hasn’t responded directly to Yoakam’s comments, she’s often spoken about how her early years in Nashville shaped her songwriting. “It taught me how to write from the heart,” she said in a 2021 interview. “And that’s something I’ll never outgrow.”
So, is Taylor Swift country again? Or was she ever really not?
The debate continues — but when someone like Dwight Yoakam, a man who’s worn the same hat since 1986 and helped define modern country’s sound, speaks up in her favor, maybe it’s time to reconsider the labels.
One thing is clear: Taylor Swift isn’t bound by genre. And maybe that’s what makes her timeless.