Kenny Chesney: ‘So Proud’ of His Friend Taylor Swift

Kenny Chesney paid tribute to Taylor Swift after Time named her their  Person Of The Year for 2023 in a sweet post on Instagram. Kenny posted photos of him and Swift from the early 2010s.

Chesney captioned the post, "Taylor, I knew looking in your eyes that first time on stage with us, you had 'it.' The hunger, that something special… A gift not everyone has to connect. It's been awesome watching you shine! Congratulations on being @TIME's Person of the Year."

He added, "I'm glad TIME sees what I've always loved about your music, your art, and you as a human being. I'm so proud of you, and I love you."

Many Swifties, as well as Kenny fans, reacted to the post. One fan wrote, "What you did for Taylor was such a beautiful gift." A die-hard Swiftie commented, "Thank you for believing in our girl at the start. She started all this because you took a shot. I've always been a fan, and that continues on!" One more fan said, "We are all Kenny Chesney fans now!"

See that post here.

Through the years, Kenny and Taylor have remained friends. Chesney made a cameo during Swift's 2011 "Speak Now World Tour," while Taylor was a surprise guest on the opening night of Kenny Chesney's "The Big Revival Tour" in 2015.

Upon earning the title, Swift told Time, "This is the proudest and happiest I've ever felt, and the most creatively fulfilled and free I've ever been."

Taylor also topped People magazine's "Most Intriguing People" list.

On Tuesday (12/5), the publication acknowledged all the feats the singer-songwriter has accomplished to honor her with the title. As we previously reported, Swift's 3.5-hour-long "Eras Tour" concerts, vinyl record sales, and concert film helped boost Swift to billionaire status.

Taylor Swift makes headlines daily as she continues her U.S. leg of her "Eras Tour," which includes playing three-sold-out nights at stadiums all over the country every weekend. Last week, Taylor released her Speak Now: Taylor's Version album, which consists of all new versions of the songs found on her 2010 album Speak Now, along with some additional songs.

Back in 2010, when Swift first released Speak Now, she was three years into a country music career that was getting bigger by the day. During that time, I was doing interviews with her as each new album was released at the beginning of her incredible career.

After I interviewed her for the Speak Now album, Swift sent me a personal thank you note for the interview, writing in part on her custom card stock letterhead, "Nancy! You know I love seeing you. I just wanted to remind you with this note."

She added, "Thanks so much for coming by to talk to me about Speak Now. I can't wait for you to hear the whole record. Taylor." I wasn't alone. I spoke with several of my Nashville counterparts at the time, and they, too, got notes from Swift, all saying something a bit different. She must have written 50 or more notes that week alone.

Swift continues to knock the world out with her new music releases and tour, which will expand worldwide next year. For fun, I gathered some of the early quotes from Taylor before she crossed over to pop.