4 Country Artists Who Started Their Careers As Teenagers

Most teenagers enjoy all of the normal things that go along wth the teenage years, including prom, high school graduation, and more. But some are so talented and motivated, they trade those experiences for getting an early start on their country music career. These four country singers all started their careers while they were still teenagers.

Videos by American Songwriter

LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes was just 13 years old when her debut single, “Blue”, was released. The song is the title track of her freshman album, which came out one month before she turned 14.

Rimes released a total of five albums while still a teenager. She also had numerous hit singles, including “One Way Ticket (Because I Can)”, “On The Side Of Angels”, “How Do I Live“, and more.

Grateful for her success, and still touring and releasing music today, Rimes now admits it wasn’t the easiest childhood for her.

“No one can prepare an adult for a life in this industry, much less a child,” Rimes tells Wide Open Country. “The impact of having the whole world’s eyes and opinions placed upon you takes its toll one way or another. One of the things I’m most proud of is coming out on the other side of it and thriving. Not everyone has that experience.

Tanya Tucker

Like Rimes, Tanya Tucker was also just 13 years old when she had her first big hit, with “Delta Dawn”. The title track of her freshman record, Tucker went on to have a lengthy string of hits, including “Love’s The Answer”, “What’s Your Mama’s Name”, “Lizzie And The Rainman”, and more.

Tucker had 18 Top 20 singles before she turned 21. She later revealed that her producer, Billy Sherrill, didn’t want anyone to know she was just 13 years old.

“He said, ‘I want this record to make it on its own merit,” Tucker recalls. “Not because we got a damn circus act here.’”

Hunter Hayes

Hunter Hayes had just turned 20 when his eponymous debut album came out on Atlantic Nashville. But by the time Hayes released his first album on a major record label, he had already released four albums independently, beginning with Through My Eyes when he was only eight years old.

In 2008, Hayes released Songs About Nothing. He tells American Songwriter that he was releasing songs on MySpace, which is how he got discovered. His last album, Space Tapes, came out in 2024.

Hayes had plenty of hits in his early 20s, including “Wanted”, which became his first No. 1 hit.

Taylor Swift

There may not be a more well-known child prodigy story than Taylor Swift, at least in country music. Swift was just 16 when her self-titled freshman record was released. Even more impressive, Swift wrote or co-wrote all 11 songs on the record, including “Tim McGraw”, which became her first No. 1 hit.

“Tim McGraw” became the first of many multi-platinum singles Swift would enjoy during her teenage years. Now a pop superstar, when Swift was 14, she predicted she would find success, at least as a songwriter.

“If I’m not a star, then I guess I’m going to be a writer,” Pearce tells ABC. “I know that what I want to do is music, because everyone is like, ‘Yeah, you should do what you love,’ and this is what I love.”

Photo by Beth Gwinn/Redferns