Taylor Swift was born December 13, 1989 in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She learned to play guitar as a child and began writing songs at the age of 10. With strong influences from Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift took her songs to Nashville at the age of 11 seeking a record deal but was rejected. She began to seek out connections with other musicians and regularly visited Nashville until at the age of 14 her family moved to the Nashville area.