20 Years Ago, This Country Couple's Legendary Tour Helped Launch Taylor Swift's Career
In April 2006, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw embarked on their iconic joint Soul2Soul II tour, which, at the time, was one of the highest-grossing tours ever. The show featured a set by McGraw, a set by Hill, and a handful of duets by the couple together.
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Though there were no supporting acts on the original leg of the tour in 2006, its massive success led to an extension into 2007, with a new face on the lineup. A teenage Taylor Swift joined as an opener, providing jet fuel for the career of a girl who would become one of the world's biggest popstars of all time.
Why Faith Hill and Tim McGraw Invited Taylor Swift on Tour
So, how did it happen? Swift's first-ever single, "Tim McGraw," came out in 2006, while the "Live Like You Were Dying" musician was taking the world by storm alongside his wife on the first leg of the Soul2Soul II tour. When he first heard it, he admitted he was "a little apprehensive."
"I thought, have I gotten to that age now to where they're singing songs about me? Does that mean I've jumped the shark a bit? Is everything still cool?" he told People. "Somebody had told me that she was in her seventh-grade math class when she wrote the song, so it made me feel a little bit better about that because she was so young writing it. So I didn't feel like I was that terribly old."
Just months later, Swift performed the song at the 2007 American Country Music Awards before finally meeting the legendary country duo for the first time, introducing herself after the performance. "It's so nice to meet you!" she said, giving them both hugs. Shortly after, they invited her on tour.
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"Faith and I both said, 'This girl, she's going to be the biggest star in the world,'" he told Audacy. "She's just so curious, which is a sign of great intelligence. We had no doubt she was headed to do big things."
The Advice Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Gave Taylor Swift
McGraw and Hill would have long talks with Swift on tour, and shared some advice for her career. "We had long conversations with her in Faith's dressing room about always being open to listening, but always know that you're the leader, that you're the one making decisions," he told People. "That you will know what song is going to work or not and that you are the captain of your ship."
"I think she has brilliantly navigated that line," he said, looking back.
The tour was a massive success, breaking Garth Brooks' record for the highest-grossing country music concerts of all time grossing $88.8 million. Less than 10 years later, Swift took the title herself with her The Red Tour, which grossed more than $150 million.
Hill and McGraw have continued to support Swift, joining her on her Reputation tour, presenting her with the CMA Pinnacle Award in 2013, and always speaking highly of her.
Looking back, Swift is grateful for the mentorship she's received from the country royals since she was just a teenager. "I had so many mentors in country music. Faith Hill was wonderful. She would reach out to me and invite me over and take me on tour, and I knew that I could talk to her," she told Billboard in 2019.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 8:43 AM.