Taylor Swift Finds A Friend In Kenny Chesney

Much like he did to Carrie Underwood earlier this year, Kenny Chesney was the first person to stand up and congratulate Taylor Swift on her Entertainer of the Year win at this week’s CMA Awards. In an interview with CMT Insider backstage after the awards, Taylor was asked what Kenny said to her in that moment. “He just said, ‘I’m so proud of you and I love you so much,’” Taylor said.

Taylor also recalled the communication the two had shared throughout the day, saying “We were texting earlier, and we were saying that same thing, like, ‘No matter what happens tonight, I love you so much.’ And it was just like I really, really love Kenny a lot. All the other people in the category with me have taken me out on tour as their opening act. Every one of them – Keith, Brad, George, Kenny — all of them. And so those are people that I’ve looked up to and just held up in my head as these heroes, and they’re always going to that for me.”

Taylor’s interview with CMT Insider will air today at 1:00pm ET.