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You don’t have to be a diehard music fan to know that Taylor Swift is a force to be reckoned with. The award-winning country star-turned-pop star has millions of fans across the globe who will go to the ends of the Earth to defend her legacy, but Taylor’s biggest supporters come in the form of her dad, Scott Swift, and her mom, Andrea Swift. The singer has always been vocal about her family life, getting candid with journalists in the past about how much her parents have helped her on her road to stardom.

While Scott and Andrea are undoubtedly proud of their famous daughter, raising one of the biggest names in the industry hasn’t always been an easy road. Both of them have faced some serious health issues in the past, and have had to sacrifice a lot to get Taylor to where she is today. Additionally, their own relationship has made headlines, and Scott has had to deal with behind-the-scenes drama, as well as criminal trespassers and serious worries regarding his daughter’s well-being.

To outsiders looking in, it may look like the Swift family has it all, but as any A-lister worth their salt will tell you, there’s a dark side to fame that can’t be ignored, even if you’re not the one dancing in the spotlight. Let’s take a look at some of the more tragic, challenging, and messy details from Andrea and Scott Swift’s story.

A leaked email showed Scott Swift complaining about feeling left out in 2005

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Taylor Swift has been a phenomenon for years, but we shouldn’t forget that it wasn’t always this way. She was once a struggling artist just like every young hopeful musician, taking on whatever gigs that might help her get a foot in the right door. Her parents were dedicated to helping their little girl do what she wanted, but it wasn’t always a good time for them. In 2023, an old email that Taylor’s dad sent in 2005 resurfaced, and the message bubbled with resentment.

According to the Economic Times, Taylor’s old manager, Daniel Dymtrow, exposed the email when suing the singer in 2023 for what he believes was underpayment during his time working with the star in the mid-noughties. In the email, Scott comes across as agitated about being the one staying home and holding down the fort, often sacrificing his own happiness while his wife, Andrea Swift, attended events with Taylor.

“Who gets to go to New York, New England, and every cool appearance? Not dad. Can’t fix hair,” Scott wrote. “Dad talks too much. Who pays for trips to New York? Dad.” Of course, the dynamic didn’t always stay that way, as Scott eventually became a staple at many of his daughter’s future achievements. Nevertheless, this shows that the early days didn’t “shimmer” for Scott as much as some might have thought.

Andrea and Scott Swift picked up their whole lives and moved to Nashville for Taylor’s career

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It’s common knowledge among Swifties that Taylor Swift had a seemingly idyllic childhood on a Christmas tree farm owned by her parents in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. It sounds like a quaint American dream, but at an early age, Taylor was eager to get out of there and pursue a country music career… much to her parents’ chagrin.

In an interview with Time in 2014, the “Shake It Off” singer said that she was inspired to move to Nashville after learning that Shania Twain and Faith Hill cut their teeth there as budding artists. “I began relentlessly nagging, begging, and pleading with my parents to take me on a trip there,” Swift told the publication. Her mom did just that when she was 13, and it spiraled from there. Eventually, the singer got a development deal and there was no other option but to let Taylor pursue her dreams. As she put it, her parents “gave in.” Scott and Andrea Swift packed up the Christmas tree farm and said goodbye to Pennsylvania, trading in fir trees for hot Tennessee summers.

Though that move would turn out to be the right one, it could not have been easy for Scott, Andrea, and Austin Swift to say goodbye to everything they knew for Taylor’s fledgling career. At that time, it was a gamble and not a sure bet.

They reportedly split in 2011 but wanted to keep it private

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For better or worse, being closely linked to someone as famous as Taylor Swift makes you a public figure by association. Fans will always be interested in what’s going on in the lives of those closest to the star they love the most, so it’s hardly surprising that Andrea and Scott Swift’s relationship has come under the microscope. In 2011, Star magazine ran a story claiming that Taylor’s parents were going through a divorce at the time, with the singer, then 22 years old, getting ready to release a new album full of “sad” lyrics.

According to Radar, a source told Star, “[Taylor’s] been going through a lot. The new album will showcase the pain of her parent’s separation.” The source went on to say that although Andrea and Scott had been split some time previously, they were eager to keep the news to themselves, even though they weren’t wearing wedding rings anymore. Andrea being on tour with Taylor frequently was supposedly a factor in the breakdown of the relationship, though they opted not to file for divorce for fear it would impact Taylor’s success.

Whether the pair remained separated or even went through with an official divorce remains unclear, as neither Taylor nor her parents have ever commented on the status of their relationship. Either way, the pair seem to be on amicable terms as they are often spotted supporting their daughter at events.

Scott Swift came under fire in 2019 when his daughter shared his Facebook post

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Scott Swift may be the dad to one of the biggest pop stars in recent history, but even he has been at the center of some Facebook drama. In 2019, Scott’s private Facebook account ended up front and center when his daughter shared one of his Facebook posts on her Tumblr page. Though Taylor took down the Tumblr post almost immediately — presumably the very second she realized she’d revealed her dad’s account to her legions of fans — it was too late: Swifties headed to Scott’s private profile to check out his other posts and took some screenshots. While the post Taylor shared on Tumblr was a totally innocuous status update about how to “cheat” his phone’s step counter, other screenshots were far more political.

According to the Daily Mail, on the account, fans found right-wing memes about immigration, Elizabeth Warren, and Blue Lives Matter. These memes did not sit well with left-leaning Swifties, and the screenshots put heat on the pop star’s father.

Taylor, who regularly supports liberal causes and endorses Democratic candidates, never addressed the aforementioned memes or her father’s Facebook activity. Given how quickly the Facebook account was deleted, it seems safe to assume there was some major tension behind the scenes.

Both Scott and Andrea Swift have had cancer

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Whether it be her relationship with Travis Kelce, her love of cats, or her struggle to be seen as an equal in the industry, Taylor Swift has always been candid and eager to share. When it comes to her parents, however, Taylor is careful not to give away too much. That said, there have been some notable, albeit heavy, exceptions.

In a 2015 Tumblr post, Taylor revealed that her mom, Andrea Swift, had cancer. “I’d like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know,” Taylor wrote (via Us Weekly). “Thank you for caring about my family so much that she would want me to share this information with you.” A few years later, Taylor told Elle that Andrea had been diagnosed with cancer for the second time. While that was a heavy revelation in itself, fans were also surprised to learn that Scott Swift previously had cancer, too. “I’ve had to learn how to handle serious illness in my family. Both of my parents have had cancer, and my mom is now fighting her battle with it again. It’s taught me that there are real problems and then there’s everything else,” said the singer.

While Taylor has not elaborated further on her dad’s health, she gave fans a worrying update on Andrea the following year, when she told Variety that doctors discovered a brain tumor when administering chemotherapy. “So it’s just been a really hard time for us as a family,” Taylor said.

One of Taylor Swift’s saddest songs is about her mom’s health struggles

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It’s no secret that Taylor Swift and Andrea Swift are close. As the “Anti-Hero” singer said in Variety, “Everyone loves their mom; everyone’s got an important mom. But for me, she’s really the guiding force.”

In 2019, Taylor released a song inspired by Andrea, and it is one of her saddest tracks to date. “Soon You’ll Get Better” featuring The Chicks, which appears on Taylor’s album “Lover,” is centered on visiting doctor’s offices with her mother. The song features touching, emotive lyrics like, “And I hate to make it all about me / But who am I supposed to talk to? / What am I supposed to do? / If there’s no you.”

As beloved by fans as the heart-wrenching song is, Taylor rarely performs it live. “We as a family decided to put this on the album, and it’s something I’m so proud of, but it’s just really hard. I can’t sing it,” she admitted on a YouTube Live, according to People. “It’s hard to just emotionally deal with that song.” In 2020, she played it live for the first time for the “One World: Together at Home” benefit show.

Scott Swift was ‘terrified’ for his daughter’s safety when she spoke up about politics

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Anyone with a large platform will tell you that speaking up about politics or social issues can come with a set of risks that extends far beyond trolls lurking in your comments section. For years, Taylor Swift steered clear of getting political. Out of fear for his daughter’s safety, Scott Swift was adamant she keep it that way.

But by 2018, Taylor was ready to take on that risk. “In the past, I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” she wrote on Instagram, before going on to voice her support for LBGTQIA+ rights and stating that she would not be voting for Marsha Blackburn in the upcoming Tennessee election.

In a scene from Taylor’s Netflix documentary “Taylor Swift: Miss Americana,” Scott attempts to dissuade his daughter from posting the statement. “I’ve read the entire statement and … right now, I’m terrified,” he says. “I’m the guy that went out and bought armored cars.” Taylor later told Variety that she understood his apprehension. “My dad is terrified of threats against my safety and my life, and he has to see how many stalkers we deal with on a daily basis, and know that this is his kid,” she said.

An intruder broke into Scott Swift’s Florida penthouse in 2019

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Scott Swift has long been concerned about his very famous daughter’s safety and security, but in 2020, his own well-being was threatened when an intruder broke into his Florida penthouse. Taylor Swift’s dad came home one evening only to find a man named Terrence Hoover in the $4 million condo. According to The Tampa Bay Times, Hoover apparently circumvented the security guard and gate, let himself in through an emergency exit stairwell, and made his way up 13 floors.

Scott reportedly fought off Hoover, and Hoover left the scene. After Hoover was tracked down and arrested, his mother told The Tampa Bay Times it was all a misunderstanding. “He was lost and should be charged with only trespassing,” she said. Hoover’s mother went on to claim that her son accidentally ended up in Scott’s apartment while he was searching the area for his estranged wife.

Whatever Hoover’s intent, the terrifying incident certainly rattled the Swift family. Thankfully, Scott was not harmed in the altercation.

Scott Swift was asked to be involved in the Scooter Braun deal

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Taylor Swift’s feud with Scooter Braun turned the music world upside-down. Braun purchased the singer’s entire back catalog in 2019, and it unleashed holy hell. Taylor was livid over the sale, calling it her “worst-case scenario” in a Tumblr post, according to Entertainment Weekly. “For years, I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work,” she said. The sale prompted Swift to reclaim her previous records by re-releasing them all one at a time, re-mixed and re-recorded. So, where does Scott Swift come into this, and why were some Swifties poised and ready to take him down over the deal?

It later came out that Scott made $15 million when Braun bought the back catalog. Turns out, he knew nothing about the deal before it was brokered — and he made a point of not knowing anything about the deal before it was brokered.

Taylor’s rep told ET that Scott, who was a Big Machine Records LLC shareholder, refused to participate in a shareholders call that would’ve required him to sign an NDA that would stop him from discussing the deal with Taylor. “Her dad did not join that call because he did not want to be required to withhold any information from his own daughter,” they said. Scott did the right thing, it’s just a messy situation all around.