Brad Paisley Touts Taylor Swift as Voice of Her Generation

Brad Paisley first spotted the talents of Taylor Swift a few years ago, when he tapped her to open his Bonfires and Amplifiers tour in 2007, along with Jack Ingram and Kellie Pickler. Since that time she's grown as both an artist and as a woman, and Brad says she's now speaking to a whole audience who might not otherwise be reached, if it weren't for her songs.

"I think she is the voice of her generation," Brad tells the syndicated radio show Country Countdown U.S.A. "In her age group when normally they don't have that sort of thing -- a true lyrical songwriter person who puts into song the feelings of her age group, a teenager who's able to write perfectly about those years of life. Usually, those people don't necessarily have that until they're older. Here's teenagers able to say this woman, this young woman is my voice. She's singing about my heartbreak and the love I'm feeling and the things that are going on."

Brad hosted the CMA Awards with Carrie Underwood last year, and was on stage when Taylor took home the Entertainer of the Year award. He says he couldn't have been any prouder of her than he was right at that moment.

Brad has a few days off from his American Saturday Night trek, but returns to the road March 4 in Greenville, S.C. On that same night, Taylor Swift's Fearless tour resumes in Tampa, Fla.