It's the stuff of legend: In 2006, Church was dismissed as the opening act for Rascal Flatts because his set ran too long. Newcomer Swift — then just 16 — took his place. She had just released her debut album, which soon was a smash hit. Church jokingly told her she owed him for her first gold album, and she responded with a note:

“Eric, Thanks for playing too long on the Flatts tour,” she wrote on a display that’s now in Church’s museum. “I SINCERELY appreciate it. Hahaha. Love you! Taylor.”

We love this story because it shows the camaraderie prevalent in the country music industry. Even though Swift took Church's spot on the tour — and subsequently became a star, there's no bad feeling between the two. This only makes us like the two of them even more!

Article Source: US99.5

Photo Source: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for iHeartMedia