Taylor Swift’s Mom Gives Moving Speech At ACM Awards After Cancer Diagnosis

Earlier this month, Taylor Swift shared the difficult news that her mother, Andrea Finlay, is battling cancer. And on Sunday night, the singer received a powerful show of support — from her mom. 

Then 3 days ago, Taylor Swift was honored at the ACMs with a touching tribute by Andrea Finlay. So how Taylor Swift really, truly said goodbye to country music at the ACM Awards? Well then, let’s find out. 

Three days ago, on Sunday night, Taylor Swift received a powerful show of support from Andrea Finlay. So Andrea Finlay was greeted with cheers at the Academy of Country Music Awards as she took the stage to deliver a heartfelt speech and a career-honoring award to her daughter.

So Taylor Swift took the stage at Sunday's Academy of Country Music Awards in Arlington, TX, to accept the milestone award. She was presented with the trophy by none other than Andrea Finlay, who gave a touching tribute to her daughter complete with stories about the young singer as she was growing up. Andrea Finlay told the audience, "I know you love her as I love her," adding, "And for that, I thank you eternally." Taylor's dad, Scott Swift, was also by his daughter's side in the crowd. It was an especially moving moment, as Taylor Swift recently announced that Andrea Finlay had been diagnosed with cancer in a heartfelt note shared on her personal website. The two were all smiles on stage while spotlighting Taylor Swift's many career accomplishments. 

So Andrea Finlay started saying, "I've watched this milestone artist since she was a tangled-haired little girl growing up on our farm, full of imagination and creativity, until right now, as she prepares for her next world tour," Andrea Finlay told the crowd. "And ever since then, her favorite thing in the world to do has been to write a song, tell a story, play a guitar or a piano. And I've seen those things carry her through every emotion, every experience in her life — good or bad." 

On Sunday night, the focus was strictly on the good. 

"Like many of you out there tonight with children of your own, I am a very proud mom," she added before her daughter joined her on stage to accept the Milestone award. 

Taylor Swift was clearly moved by her mother's words and as her fans on Twitter soon revealed, they were, too. 

Moving speeches at the ACM Awards are nothing new for Taylor Swift or her mom. Just watch the tear-jerker Taylor Swift delivered in honor of her mother when she accepted the New Female Vocalist award in 2008. 

It's clear the love and respect run deep with these amazing ladies.

So it seems that Taylor Swift was given the milestone award along with country legends like Reba McEntire, George Strait, Garth Brooks, and Miranda Lambert, a group that many on social media believed the "Shake It Off" singer shouldn't have been a part of, given her pop-inspired album, 1989, which was released late last year. Taylor Swift addressed the matter as she thanked fans for their support in her acceptance speech, saying, "You showed me who you are with the grace that you accepted that with." Keep reading for photos of Taylor Swift's big night at the ACMs, and be sure to check out all the stars who hit the red carpet for the event.

Fascinating on why Taylor Swift's country music did not survive the popular music curse and why Taylor Swift's country music only appeals Tim McGraw's Highway Don't Care and you have to use pop music like I Knew You Were Trouble to listen to Taylor Swift. Even streaming/internet like Vevo and YouTube doesn't help either. I guess popular music don't seem to care about country music like Carrie Underwood and country music like Brad Paisley did not survive the streaming music curse and country music weren't popular as it used to be even with big names like Tim McGraw. I guess people listening to music only appeals repeat populars and radio and forget other popular music like Spice Girls and Avril Lavigne. Well then, let's continue.

In a fairly blatant attempt to drive ratings to its broadcast on Sunday night, the Academy of Country Music Awards announced it would present Taylor Swift with a Milestone Award. The honor, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the ACMs, was given to seven artists who made a major impact in the genre.

So Taylor Swift, of course, is award show gold — her gif-ready awkward dancing and promise of millions of fans tuning in make her irresistible to TV ceremonies. That’s why it was a devastating blow when she gently broke the news to Nashville last August that after a wildly successful run in the country genre, she was officially transitioning into the pop world with her new album, “1989.”

While country radio and the genre have largely come to terms with a lack of Taylor Swift on the airwaves and sales charts, award shows are having a little trouble letting go. (Understandable, given what Taylor Swift can do for the ratings.) Thus, her win for the Milestone Award. Not to mention she was also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards last fall. She also won the elusive Pinnacle Award at the CMA Awards in 2013; before she officially left country music, but there were signs on her pop-heavy “Red” album that she was moving in a different direction.

So here's my advice, have Taylor Swift's non-crossover country songs like Picture To Burn move to pop radio and have pop radio plays Taylor Swift's country songs like Should've Said No just to play her pop music career safe. All radio playing Taylor Swift these days is pop music, like Shake It Off, and Tim McGraw's Highway Don't Care. That's all Taylor Swift songs playing on the radio does these day, Taylor Swift's pop music and Highway Don't Care. Why can't pop radio play Taylor Swift's country songs like Tim McGraw including Tim McGraw's Highway Don't Care? Taylor Swift's country songs like Sparks Fly is suppose to be played on pop radio now that country radio stopped playing Taylor Swift like Ours. So I demand her country hits like Mean on pop radio. That's what you'll be working on, pop radio. OK, let's continue.

Like any break-up, you need true closure as Taylor Swift played the ACMs on Sunday perfectly, as she accepted her award and graciously thanked the industry while firmly saying a final goodbye — seriously, for real this time.

“Somebody once told me that you truly see who a person is when you tell them something they don’t want to hear. You truly see who a person is when you give them news that they weren’t expecting,” Taylor Swift said to the thousands of screaming fans in the crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. “And so to the country music community, when I told you that I had made a pop album and that I wanted to go explore other genres, you showed me who you are with the grace you accepted that with. I will never forget it.”

Let's hope Taylor Swift's country songs like White Horse has merged to her pop music career now that all Taylor Swift's music videos on pop on Vevo and Last.fm as well as tackling new genres like rock and hip-hop. Well then, let's move on.

She continued: “I’m so happy, so happy I learned to write songs in a town like Nashville. I’m so grateful that I learned what hard work is from my heroes who are all sitting here. And I’m so unbelievably proud that I learned to treat people with kindness and respect from country music. I love you so much.”

So Taylor Swift ended with a plug for her “1989” world tour that kicks off next month — and with that, it appears Taylor Swift will officially close the door on her time in Nashville. It will likely serve as a last bit of closure in front of the country audience as a whole group, especially because she didn’t show up for the CMA Awards last November despite her nomination.

And Taylor Swift better move her country hits to her pop world so that way her fans will be listening to her country songs in her newly shifted pop career.

But even Taylor Swift knew she had little choice in the matter for the ACMs. The Milestone Award was also presented on Sunday to fellow industry heavyweights including Garth Brooks, George Strait, Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert and Kenny Chesney. Given that her ascension from singer-songwriter to international superstar all started because of her launch in country music, it would have been awkward if she didn’t show up and the Style singer is nothing if not supremely image savvy.

In addition to her award, the Blank Space was also a camera favorite. She did her standard dancing-and-singing-along to every song, and the producers tried to soak up every minute.

She didn’t take up a performance slot. In fact, she was the only Milestone winner who didn’t perform. Instead, the show ran a long video clip highlighting her many, many ACM achievements (Entertainer of the Year trophies, memorable performances over the years). In an incredibly emotional moment, her mother, Andrea Finlay — whom Taylor Swift recently shared is battling cancer — appeared to introduce her daughter before she accepted the trophy.

So Andrea Finlay is a very proud mom and she would like to thank the ACMs for honoring her in this way but Andrea Finlay also like to thank the entire music community for taking such good care of her. Aw, that was sweet.

It seem that according to CBS, “In an emotional speech at the ACM Awards, Taylor Swift's mother presented her daughter with a Milestone Award for her impact on the country music genre. Taylor Swift accepted the award by thanking the country world for graciously allowing her to experiment with other types of music.”

So if Taylor Swift pull the plug on her country music, then maybe her country music might have to move to pop and if she does, then Taylor Swift needs to have all her country songs (including Highway Don't Care where she was featured) be be pop music. Ditto Carrie Underwood. Come on, pop music department, play Taylor Swift's country songs like Picture To Burn and Ours. Begin Again and Red were both lucky since both country songs aired on MTV Hits and Mean was on MTV. Seriously, all Taylor Swift songs (country or pop) should be pop. Plain and simple. It needs to happen and she really does. I want my Tim McGraw, Picture To Burn, Sparks Fly, and Ours on pop radio, Taylor Swift. Maybe Taylor Swift's first greatest hits album will do the trick next year. This will allow Taylor Swift's pop music listeners to listen to her country singles like Red for the first time the her entire pop music world as Tim McGraw, the first single from 2006, is turning 10 next year. So this would be a good time to have all her singles to be included in Taylor Swift's first greatest hits album that will be her second pop album.

So what do you think? Are you happy that Taylor Swift gave Andrea Finlay an emotional speech at the ACM Awards? Do you want all Taylor Swift's country songs to merged to her pop career and join pop music by next year? Sound off below!