My nine-year old daughter digs music. She takes piano lessons, has a part in her third grade production of "Annie," and makes up dance moves in the living room while listening to Radio Disney. Yeah, I know... the Radio Disney part is a bit of a bummer. She does like Thelonious Monk too, which gives me some solace.
There are moments when I think I might see her getting a Grammy someday. But then I read about Taylor Swift singing at county fairs at age 10 or Lady Gaga writing her first piano ballad at age 13, and I realize time is running out for my dear, talented daughter. If you don't get your first record deal before puberty you might as well think about nursing. Those nurses have jobs for life.
Do you have to start as a kid performer in order to break into the music business these days? [Poll]
This year's female Grammy nominees are a strong bunch of women who all got into the game from nearly the moment they were teething. Here are some pre-fame tales of the top three nominated women. Future stage moms and stage dads take note.
Beyonce (10 Nominations)
This year's Grammy nominee leader has prepared for fame her whole life. Her father, Matthew Knowles, quit his job as a salesman in 1995 to manage Beyonce's group, Girls Tyme.
Girls Tyme got their big break in 1993 when they competed on "Star Search." They lost to a hard rock band, Skeleton Crew. Apparently winning on "Star Search" doesn't do much for a career. Anyone know where Skeleton Crew is at these days?
Taylor Swift (8 Nominations)
Like Beyonce, Taylor Swift was performing at an early age. She also suffered an early career setback, although it wasn't hosted by Ed McMahon. Armed with a bunch of karaoke recordings, Swift came to Nashville at 11 years old to land a record deal. She was sent home packing.
Swift bounced back with a gig singing the National Anthem at the U.S. Open. It got some folks to reconsider and landed her a job a few years later as a staff writer at famed Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
Lady Gaga (5 Nominations)
Once upon a time, the former Ms. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was just another NYU student looking to make an extra buck by singing open mic nights and appearing in lame reality TV shows, like MTV's "Boiling Point" in 2005.
Gaga dropped out of NYU to pursue music full time. She officially dropped her Italian-American name when a producer dubbed her Lady Gaga because of her love of the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga." Freddie Mercury would be proud of the costumes.