Kenny Chesney once paid an underage Taylor Swift not go on the road with him, because his tour was sponsored by a prominent alcohol firm.
Early in the “Blank Space” hitmaker’s country music days, Chesney realised star potential in Swift, and recruited her to embark on his 2009 Sun City Carnival Tour – when she was just 20. However, beer brand Corona Light served as a sponsor for the tour, making it ethically and legally problematic for Swift to open for Chesney, since the legal age for drinking in the U.S. is 21.
Chesney recalls having to make an uncomfortable phone call, firing Swift from the tour, and apologize for the situation. But he wrote her a cheque to make up for the potential revenue she lost. Later that year, Chesney and Swift met again at the Country Music Association Awards, where she won her first CMA for Entertainer of the Year, ironically breaking Chesney’s three-year streak. When they came face to face, Chesney made light of the missed tour opportunity and said, “I went up to her backstage, gave her a hug and told her I wanted my money back.”
