NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Taylor Swift signed her first publishing deal in Nashville at the age of 14. About 22 years and 14 Grammys later, she joined the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame along with Lyle Lovett, Shawn Camp, Lee Thomas Miller, Bruce Channel and J.I. Allison.
Swift added another honor to her trophy wall with her second hall of fame induction this year and was celebrated at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday in a crowded ballroom full of artists, writers and country music elite.
Click to Gallery
Lyle Lovett speaks as he is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
George Strait, center, speaks during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Lainey Wilson performs during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Taylor Swift speaks as she is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
“I knew from the time I wrote my first song that even if it couldn’t be my career, it would be my passion," Swift said.
She described soaking up the lessons from other writers like a sponge, learning how to push through writer's block and write about the human condition, even when her writing partner was hungover or going through a divorce.
Swift recalled her mom would regularly pick her up from high school and drop her off at a publishing house on Nashville's Music Row, where she poured out her emotions to one of her first co-writers, Liz Rose. She later would meet Nathan Chapman, who produced her self-titled debut album in 2006, released 20 years ago this month.
Swift, who took her talents to a much wider audience beyond country music, said her ability to “genre hop” was because she had learned the fundamentals of songwriting in Nashville.
“I’m so incredibly honored to be inducted into this sacred club," Swift said.
Brad Paisley, one of the first major artists to take her on tour after her debut album, introduced her as “the voice of a generation.”
He joked that Swift “went to Brad Paisley High School" as a 17-year-old traveling the country while on tour with him. Swift later recounted that Paisley took a prank too far in 2007 when he filled her bus with thousands of crickets.
"For months I couldn't sleep. Just chirp, chirp, chirp," she said.
Lainey Wilson performed a bluegrass version of “Love Story” with fiddle and stand-up bass from Swift's second album, “Fearless.”
Swift wasn't the only big star to be celebrated, as George Strait, the lauded “King of Country Music,” was given the Career Maker Award from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Strait, a Country Music Hall of Famer, is known for picking great songs from other songwriters and sending them to the top of country charts for five decades.
Surrounded by songwriters on stage, Strait was predictably succinct in his speech as he sent out his thanks for all the writers who sent songs to him over the years.
“They made my career," Strait said. “I didn’t make theirs.”
Lovett spent his speech naming mentors and artists and writers who took a chance on him.
“I am humbled just to be in the room with these amazing Hall of Fame songwriters and amazing recording artists," Lovett said. "It is such a privilege to be able to go through your life and do what you want to do.”
Allison, who died in 2022, was a member of Buddy Holly's band The Crickets and co-wrote hits like “That'll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue.” Camp, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, fiddle and more, co-wrote songs like “Two Pina Coladas” for Garth Brooks and “How Long Gone” by Brooks & Dunn, as well as hits for Blake Shelton and George Strait and many bluegrass songs.
Channel co-wrote “Hey! Baby!" a song that would become part of the movie “Dirty Dancing” but also a country hit for Anne Murray and many others. Miller co-wrote award-winning songs like “You're Gonna Miss This,” performed by Trace Adkins and “In Color," performed by Jamey Johnson.
Lyle Lovett speaks as he is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
George Strait, center, speaks during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Lainey Wilson performs during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Taylor Swift speaks as she is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Golden State Valkyries moved within one win of a championship in their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night.
Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists — a big difference from her two standout performances in the first two games of the series at Chase Center. Reese shook her head when whistled for the second of her three offensive fouls with 7:43 to play.
Fans screamed and clapped thunder sticks following the final buzzer as Stokes spoke from the floor to chants of “MVP!”
“We appreciate you,” a smiling Stokes said. “We got one more.”
On a night leading scorer Gabby Williams struggled to find her shooting touch, Golden State found that “strength in numbers” mantra coach Natalie Nakase has praised all season long and everybody made an impact. Veronica Burton had 13 points and eight rebounds.
On Saturday, Nakase had changed up her lineup for a 67-62 Game 4 win by inserting Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting five. She stayed with those two Monday night, and it worked again. Hayes, who played 10 seasons for Atlanta and came out of retirement two years ago, had 12 points — and Nakase has said she wants to win it all for the veteran guard.
Williams began 2 for 11 and missed all four of her three 3-point tries, but she converted a three-point play with 9:08 remaining put the Valkyries ahead 49-42 and finished with nine points on 3-for-14 shooting and six rebounds.
Atlanta will now try to stave off elimination at home Thursday in Game 6 and force a deciding Game 7 back here at Chase Center on Saturday. The Dream hurt themselves with 17 turnovers that led to 21 points for Golden State.
Stokes hit a key 3-pointer with 2:46 to go in the third quarter and another with 7:21 left in the game, which ignited chants of “Ki-ah! Ki-ah!” from the crazed, rally-towel waving “Ballhalla” home crowd at Chase Center.
Stokes has recorded three or more blocks in six straight games, tying her with Lisa Leslie in 2003 for the longest such streak in a single WNBA postseason.
The Valkyries used a dominant second half after they led 25-22 at the break, the lowest scoring first half combined score in WNBA Finals history.
Rhyne Howard’s three-point play with 4:59 left in the third pulled Atlanta within 34-31, but after that it was Stokes, Burton and the Valkyries coming up with all the crucial plays on both ends.
Golden State owner Joe Lacob promised a championship within five years in a bold declaration when the expansion franchise was granted to the Bay Area three years ago, yet this season has exceeded even what he could have envisioned.
Neither team could find a flow from 3-point range in the first half as the teams combined to shoot 5 for 29 from deep — 3 of 16 by Golden State and 2 for 13 by Atlanta.
Earlier Monday, the league announced Game 6 would be played at 17,000-seat State Farm Arena in Atlanta starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday — a time when many fans on both coasts will be working.
“I’d like to see it be a national holiday for all WNBA championship games so whatever somebody can do,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “I hope everybody gets to see it somehow and I know that for some people it’s not realistic, they have jobs and won’t be able to make it. So I’m disappointed for that but I’m really hopeful that as many people can see the game as possible.”
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes, middle, holds onto the ball against Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) and forward Naz Hillmon during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) reaches for the ball next to Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) drives to the basket against Atlanta Dream guard DeWanna Bonner (24) during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) celebrates with guard Te-Hina Paopao (2) and guard Allisha Gray, right, during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State Valkyries, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) shoots against Atlanta Dream guard Isobel Borlase (20) during the first half of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) hugs Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles (6) after Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) attempts to shoot against Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) in the second half during Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) high fives fans after Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Streamers fall from the rafters following the Golden State Valkyries victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (Dan Hernandez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
