Getting to Know Taylor Swift's "Hey Stephen"
Taylor Swift is right. Her song, "Hey Stephen," paints a picture of a guy who looks like an angel. And he definitely does. But after spending a couple hours with Stephen Barker Liles, from the Nashville trio Love and Theft (named for a Bob Dylan album), I'd say his looks are just the beginning.
Liles and bandmates Brian Bandas and Eric Gunderson spent much of 2008 touring with Taylor Swift, which led to her little crush. And then "Hey Stephen" was born. In it, you can hear the upright bass fused with a little gut-string guitar, and you can hear Swift singing, "Hey Stephen, I could give you 50 reasons why I should be the one you choose/All those other girls, well, they're beautiful, but would they write a song for you?" It's one of those catchy tunes Swift is so good at. But Love and Theft's own music is way more acoustic and is built around the harmony stylings of bands like the Eagles and maybe even a little Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town.
They sang four songs during their visit to my local country radio station. Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" (which sounds like a completely different song when three young guys are singing it in harmony, by the way). And then three of their own songs from their debut album, which they said would be out this summer. The best was "Runaway," about having a hell of a week and taking off for good. With lyrics like, "With every state line, somehow I find another part of me," it seems like songwriting is just as important to Love and Theft as playing and singing. Although they pretty much nailed that part, too. And when three guys with three unplugged guitars can do that and make a radio station conference room sound like a country bar, I'm all for it.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Greatdivide08 says:
Gawd.
Tory says:
I think he is so adorable
If Taylor Swift wrote a song about me, I would be so flattered lol
She’s a wonderful person and an amazing songwriter.
I really love Love and Theft. The guys are super down-to-earth and all adorable :)
Stephen’s my favorite. They’re great!! And i wish them the best of luck
Tay Swift Fan says:
I checked out this band when Stephen Liles was first connected to being the ‘Stephen’ in Taylors song. I think they are awesome! I love their music. Taylors song “Hey Stephen” is one of my favs! :)
CJ says:
I think Taylor is a good song writer and a good host. I read an article the other day that said Taylor’s singing is going to be her downfall. I have to say I agree with him. If she had to belt a song she would be in trouble.
Kristy says:
I think you and whomever you are quoting are wrong CJ. Taylor is AMAZING! She’s such a unique singer and person. Her voice is so pure and real. Her songs are hers and she sings them with a passion that many others don’t have.
Obviously you haven’t been keeping up on her tour sells. I invite you to go to Taylor Swifts discussion board and read a few updated articles there. It might open your eyes. :)
If anybody has a downfall comming in my opinion it’s going to be Carrie’s stage presence or lack thereof. I’m sorry but when she performed at the Grammys she reminded me of a bird pecking for seeds. Also, her belting had some covering their ears. Watch and listen to her perfomance on youtube. Carrie sings great when she’s not trying to over-sing.
Sugarland Express says:
I’m obviously a huge Sugarland fan but I do love Taylors music too. Like Jennifer, Taylor Rocks!
Man have you people seen what’s happening with Taylors tour sells? She is setting records with sell outs within minutes all over the country, and we’re not just talking those few 20.00 plus fee’s seats either. The girl is selling out 20,000 and 15,500 Stadiums in minutes.
Radio stations are being flooded with people calling looking for tickets and to talk about their woes of not getting Taylor tickets and they have been playing Taylor songs to help these people out!
Taylor has the midas touch, book a tour and get free radio promotion, air-time, and more spins without even trying. I say wtg girlfriend!
goldie says:
love taylor way to selling out in2 minutes!!!!
CJ says:
Kristy I have not been under a rock. I know all about Taylors sales and her popularity. That is great. I have as much right to have my opinion as you do to have yours. In my opinion she sucks singing in person…….
pwlsh1 says:
well lucky for taylor, she doesn’t HAVE to BELT out a song. she is mulit-talented and can write songs that are just her style. you know, the songs that are breaking records right and left? she is perfect just the way she is. never got the whole screaming a song anyway…
trufanofcountry says:
Taylor is not horrible, but she is out of her league when putting her up against Martina, Faith, Trisha, LeAnn and Leanne. She’s a good role model and markets herself well, and will be successful because of that, not because of her voice.
K says:
Taylor isn’t horrible, but there are some songs she shouldn’t sing, plain and simple. She does well when sticking to her limited range. Otherwise, forget it.
She writes teen-friendly, catchy songs, she is a good role model, and she markets herself well, as others have said. I think most of Taylor’s fans are OK with her average voice, and like her for other reasons. I think it’s really unlikely that she’ll lose any fans she has now. If people continue to accept her voice and songwriting for what it is she will still do well.
K says:
And to those claiming Carrie Underwood is going to have a “downfall” please wake up. Carrie isn’t uncomfortable when performing for her fans. In concert, she is all over the stage, jumping around, and she interacts with the crowd constantly. There are also many other artists in country (Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts) who don’t appear to be great performers, but as soon as they get in front of their fans their personalities show. Many of Carrie’s fans also realize that she is somewhat shy, so they expect her to be more reserved on stage.
Second of all, those who follow Carrie know she can sing in many different styles. She can belt, sing softly, start soft then build to big notes and more. She has extremely good vocal control, and she knows what techniques to use when. If Carrie has a downfall coming, I must be blind. She just won her fourth grammy, has been female vocalist three years running, she recently became a member of the Opry, and she just became the first female in NINE YEARS to be nominated for Entertainer of the Year. Not to mention all of her songs have gone to number one, and she had the highest-grossing female tour in 2008, which played to over one million.
If anyone has a downfall coming it’s TAYLOR SWIFT. She should be worried that her fans might get sick of her mediocre voice, average songs, and bland stage presence. She cannot ride on album sales forever!
pwlsh1 says:
first of all taylor fans don’t see her as having a mediocre voice. she is a great entertainer live. i guess if she wanted pointers from carrie, it could be how to do the chicken dance thing carrie does across the stage, or maybe the head boppin thing.
secondly, she doesn’t have to ride on album sales forever. she is selling out huge arenas in only minutes. her tour will no doubt be the biggest tour of 2009.
K says:
If you call banging on trash cans, constantly swinging your hair around, and singing in water onstage “entertaining” than I must be missing something…not!
Taylor seems to rely more on her stage setup and the gimmacks of her show to entertain than she does her voice, in my opinion. Even she says her tour is going to be “theatrical.”
If Taylor wanted pointers from Carrie she should do the following:
A. Have Carrie teach Taylor how to sing on-key
B. Have Carrie teach Taylor how to connect emotionally with a song
C. Have Carrie teach Taylor how to sing instead of blab about her personal life
Taylor’s tour will not be the biggest tour of 09 by the way. Have you ever heard of the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, or Madonna, perhaps??
pwlsh1 says:
what i love is the fact that any time taylor’s name is mentioned, carrie fans can’t resist coming to bash her. you are drawn to taylor or you wouldn’t be here on this blog. you have to click to get here, so it isn’t by accidnent. and just think, there will be many more blogs for you to read about taylor in the future. happy reading!!
lauren says:
Yeah, i agree with K. In Taylor’s video for white horse i didn’t feel she was connecting emotionally to the song. When she cried near the end it looked and sounded as if she was sort of laughing. Also, her cry just seemed really fake.
lauren says:
pwlsh1, not everyone on here is a Carrie fan. so stop assuming stuff. what i hate about taylor fans is that they just can’t stop assuming things.
kayko says:
Lauren, I disagree with you, I think Taylor did an awesome job on White Horse.
K, I had to laugh when you talked about Taylor and gimmicks. I went to Carrie’s concert and there were qute a few gimmicks also. The costume changes, how many were there? The video that went on and on, even the critics complained about that. And the platform rising while she sang IKYW.
barb b says:
this is for kristy taylor could never have
what carrie has and that is a voice and as
far as carrie having a downfall” you will
eat those words .carrie has not done anything
to anyone all she wants to do is sing what
she loves to do.
bo winland says:
hey Taylor I love you alot i am the biggest fan ever of yours you change peoples lifes including mine thanks love bo
trufanofcountry says:
Gimmicks are fine as long as they are solely for theatrical purposes. Everyone uses them on stage. But using gimmicks to mask a weakness is different altogether.
kayko says:
Everything is subjective, what you may consider a weakness someone else could see as a strength. I find Taylors performances very entertaining, someone else may not.
Katie says:
I love how every thing ends up as a fight between Taylor and Carrie?
Why fight over it? They are two different people, with two different voices, and none of you are going to change the other person’s opinion about them.
Susan says:
I have never attended a concert for eith Taylor or Carrie–But all I will say is from seeing both of them sing on awards shows–I wouldn’t walk across the street to see Taylor even if it were free.
Alison says:
WHY DOES EVERY TAYLOR SWIFT BLOG TURN INTO A BLOG ABOUT WHO IS BETTER BETWEEN HER AND CARRIE??? getting old.
T says:
taylor is a terrible singer and that’s the truth. her voice is so thin. what do you girls and guys see in her?
she’s a great writer but her singing is so whatever. even a 3 year old is better. she should quit singing and start writing songs for better singers.
trufanofcountry says:
Not just Carrie. I said she is out of her league against Martina, Faith, LeAnn, Leanne, and Trisha. Never mentioned Carrie.
K says:
Anything that I brought up in relation to Carrie was because some Taylor fan chose to bash her. Maybe I was a bit out of line with some of my comments, but I was simply responding to what others said.
I do own a few Taylor songs, and I think she’s a good role model. Her fans seem to mean the world to her, and they obviously enjoy her music.
alex says:
i wish both taylor and carrie would just disappear. can’t stand either one of them. taylor is always off and carrie just hurts my ears!
Samantha says:
oh Taylor you make me laugh
Julie says:
I cannot stand to watch Carrie do the little finger flips on the pop star micrphone! It drives me crazy. She needs to sing something different do she’s not screaming the song.
trufanofcountry says:
Julie, you don’t know much about vocal dynamics do you? There is a big difference between projecting and screaming (or shouting). Projection comes from below the diaphragm, while screaming and shouting is above the diaphragm, generally the throat. Carrie projects, and has amazing control while doing so. Her voice is a musical instrument all by itself.
Jason says:
Taylor Swift is the worst singer in country music….period
Connie says:
I’m sorry while Taylor is adorable. The kid can not sing, Maybe she can write songs But I can not bare to hear her sing or try, But then again teens make stars out of non singers all the time Myley Cirus is another They will soon fade to the next “TEEN FAD” I hope
Julie says:
trufanofcountry, At the Grammy’s, Carrie was singing the song like she was trying to fit in with rappers and the pop artists. If you didn’t know who she was, you could not tell by that performance that she is country.
trufanofcountry says:
Key word there is GRAMMYS. According to the critics of all the performances, hers was the BEST of the night. She showed power, range, control, tone and entertained just enough to fit the song without being over-the-top.
trufanofcountry says:
Oh, btw Julie, I have been involved in the professional music industry for over 30 years, so I know of what I speak. Carrie is a phenominal vocal talent, as evidenced by her numerous BEST VOCALIST award.
Diana says:
Taylor and Carrie are friends and I don’t think they would want their fans throwing the other under the bus. Each is a different artist, both have strengths and both have weaknesses like everyone else. Its all about whom you prefer. I have come to be a fan of both reluctantly. On Idol I didnt think I would live to see the day Carrie would have stage presence, which she has learned. I always admired her voice and I know shes shy. Taylor’s personality and song writing are her strengths and I’ve come to admire her for that. Both are doing fine and I think will continue to do so. However, there is a new artist down the road somewhere that will take over as Nashville’s new IT girl at some point, thats inevitable.
LNT FAN says:
Love and Theft is without a doubt the BEST band I have heard in a LONG time. They deserve all the credit that they are getting and more! Love and Theft is bringing music back to what it should be. 3 guys working their butts of to create some amazing music! KEEP IT GOING GUYS!!
tsb28555 says:
I recently saw “Love and Theft” in concert. They opened up for Darius Rucker in Myrtle Beach, SC. I had never heard of them until then. What GREAT singers/performers in person!!! I was impressed with this “new” band!
altheplumber says:
yeah eric gunderson, the other guy in the band, went to my school! i have a picture of him when he was like a little kid singing in our 1999 talent show!!
madison ambrose says:
bo i love you=) if you love me post something back
Amanda says:
I think Taylor’s a good singer and i think Hey Stephen’s for her ex I’v seen his pics with her. He has freckles and does look like an angel!!
Sandra says:
As much as I don’t like Taylor Swift AT ALL…I can totally see why she wouldn’t crush on Stephen. I first heard Love and Theft earlier this year and first saw them in Kansas City in March 2010 and then again recently in St Joseph MO 8/21/10. They are 3 amazing talents!! And so very sweet and personable. I got to visit with them a bit before their 8/21 show and now I am a fan for life!! I absolutely love their harmonies. I really hope some record label picks them up soon and they are around for a long time. They are super talented!!!
Hannah says:
Trufan, Faith is just as bad, but at least Taylor writes her own songs and plays guitar and piano (and isn’t a mean person!)
annie says:
its great that everyone has their own opinion, and they are allowed to express it,but seriously, if you “can’t stand” taylor and her songs, why are you posting on this site. stop being haters and go post comments on articles about bands that you do like. oh and because i am a taylor fan, i have a message for the haters “why don’t y’all can go play in traffic :D” have a good day ;)
howdy says:
taylor swift changed my life. bash her and i will bash you.. don’t say mean things about her. her lyrics help me and you can say her voice sucks but listen to her albums? they are amazing. too bad if she’s not always the best live. I listen and connect to the lyrics, not the person singing them.