Kenny Chesney Recognized Taylor Swift’s Talent ‘Early’ — but Never Knew She ‘Would Help Bring the World Together’

Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift perform onstage during Kenny Chesney’s The Big Revival 2015 Tour kick-off for a 55 show run through August.
Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift in Nashville in March 2015.

It was easy for Kenny Chesney to recognize Taylor Swift’s talent — but not the impact she would have on music and the world at large.

After Swift told a sweet story about the country superstar, 55, in her recent Time cover story, Chesney opened up about his first impressions of the “Karma” singer, 34, in a new interview with USA Today.

Chesney’s 2007 Flip-Flop Summer Tour was originally meant to feature a then-17-year-old Swift as an opening act, but she was later removed from the concerts due to her age after a beer company became the sponsor. “I was devastated,” she recalled to Time.

“I was able to pay my band bonuses. I was able to pay for my tour buses,” said Swift in the interview. “I was able to fuel my dreams.”

After reading the Time story, Chesney spoke to the “Lavender Haze” musician about the moment. “I texted her and told her thank you for the love, and I was stunned she remembered it,” he told USA Today.

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Taylor Swift performs during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at the National Stadium on March 02, 2024 in Singapore.
Taylor Swift performs in Singapore on March 2, 2024.

Looking back, he certainly doesn’t regret giving her the money. “To see what she did with that and the person she is now and the artist she is now and the creator that she is now — it is unbelievable what she has become,” said Chesney.

“I love Taylor,” he continued. “She has such a creative soul and that’s where all of this started. Everything you see, the stadium shows and big performances, are great. But she is still, I believe, at heart, a songwriter. That is something no one can deny.”

While Chesney couldn’t predict the future, he recognized how talented Swift was upon nearly bringing her on tour. “I saw that early, but I didn’t know it would turn into this. When she couldn’t do our tour and then she surprised me at a couple of shows and came onstage to sing with me, I saw that look in her eyes that you can’t teach,” added the performer.

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Country artist Kenny Chesney attends day 3 of SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIV on January 31, 2020