Kenny Chesney Gushes Over Taylor Swift After ‘Time’ Person of the Year Nod: “A Gift Not Everyone Has”

It has been a big year for Taylor Swift and it just keeps getting bigger. The pop superstar is capping off the year with some major achievements. She recently received the title of Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. Additionally, Forbes named her one of the most powerful women in the world. Her longtime friend and fellow artist Kenny Chesney celebrated her big wins with a heartfelt social media post.

Chesney took to social media to share a sweet message to Swift alongside some throwback photos of them. “Taylor, I knew looking in your eyes that first time on stage with us, you had ‘it.’ The hunger, that something special,” he wrote in the post. He went on to say that Swift has “A gift not everyone has to connect. It’s been awesome watching you shine!”

[RELATED: Taylor Swift Makes History as She’s Crowned Time’s Person of the Year]

Then, Chesney congratulated her for her Person of the Year honor. “Congratulations on being Time’s Person of the Year. 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,” he concluded.

[RELATED: Taylor Swift Named Fifth Most Powerful Woman in the World; Here’s Who Ranks Above Her]

Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift are Old Friends

Swift released her self-titled debut album in 2006. To promote the record, she became an opening act on a few established country artists’ tours. Chesney was one of those stars. The “Cruel Summer” singer talked about getting that gig in her interview with Time.

At the age of 17, Swift landed the opening spot on Chesney’s tour. She was over the moon. “This was going to change my career. I was so excited,” she recalled. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Two weeks later, the budding superstar came home to find her mother crying on the front porch.

“Her head was in her hands as if there had been a family emergency,” Swift remembered. Then, through her tears, her mother delivered the bad news. A beer company sponsored Chesney’s tour. As a result, he had to remove the underage singer from the opening slot.

She was devastated. However, Chesney did what he could to make up for it. At her 18th birthday party, Chesney’s promoter approached her and handed her a card from the country superstar. The card contained a check and the message “I’m sorry that you couldn’t come on the tour, so I wanted to make it up to you.”

About the check, Swift said, “It was for more money than I’d ever seen in my life. I was able to pay my band bonuses. I was able to pay for my tour busses.” She added, “I was able to fuel my dreams.”

Featured image by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Kenny Chesney