Tim McGraw: Taylor Swift Is a Great Person as Well as a Top-Notch Artist

Tim McGraw recently reflected on his time as a mentor for Taylor Swift, in the early days of her career.

He told People, who elected the “Antihero” singer as their Most Intriguing Person of the Year, that he and wife Faith Hill would have long talks with a teenage Swift, when she opened for his Soul2Soul tour, 16 years ago.

He said, “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, that you will know what song is going to work or not and that you are the captain of your ship.”

The 1883 star added, “We both absolutely fell in love with her instantly, as an artist and as a person — just a fellow professional that you realize totally knows what they are doing.”

Swift named her first single, “Tim McGraw” after the country (& TV & movie) superstar, back in 2006.  That’s when his motion picture, “Flicka,” came out, along with his hit song for the soundtrack (“My Little Girl“).  The movie, “The Blind Side,” starring McGraw, came out in 2009.