It turns out Taylor Swift loves the players and the games.
Little Big Town, who included the Taylor-penned "Better Man" on their 2017 The Breaker album, shared behind-the scenes details of working with the "Love Story" singer while diving into her country roots at the 2024 CMT Music Awards April 7.
"We've known Taylor for a long time," Karen Fairchild explained to E! News' Paul Costabile outside the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. "We've known Taylor since she was hanging out in the dressing room and was singing her first song on an award show."
In fact, Karen recalled one of their best bonding moments backstage, noting, "She was asking us what lip glosses we were using and video gaming with the guys." (See all the stars on the CMT Music Awards red carpet here and tune in to E! News April 8 for more exclusive interviews).
Fellow members Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbook nodded while remembering the good times.
"That's another community thing," Karen continued. "And [it was] so kind of her to send us a beautiful song."
Phillip explained how the band ended up with "Better Man" on their 2017 record, a song that went on to be included in the vault tracks for Red (Taylor's Version) in 2021.
"I guess mine was the only email address she had," he quipped. "I got this song in the inbox and I went and played it for them the very next day we were on the road. I was like, when I heard it, ‘This is huge,' and the first time everyone heard it, we were all in."
And while Taylor mostly left her country roots behind after the 2014 release of 1989, "Better Man" by Little Big Town won her a CMA Award in 2017, and she knew back in 2019 she would put it on her rerecorded record.
"I wrote the song ‘Better Man' for Little Big Town, and they took that song all the way to the CMA Song of the Year," she explained to Ryan Seacrest at the time. "I wrote during the Red—it was originally going to be on the Red album—so the fans are like, 'Maybe she'll put 'Better Man,' her version, on the Red album?' And I was like, 'That's an amazing idea!'"
Fans won't get to see a Little Big Town and Taylor collab at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, but plenty of stars are dressed to the nines for the occasion. Read on to see every red carpet look.
Jimi Westbrook, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town
Keith Urban
Mickey Guyton
Melissa Etheridge
Jelly Roll
Emma Roberts
Emily Ann Roberts
Lainey Wilson
Chase Stokes, Kelsea Ballerini
Emily Osment
Jennifer Nettles
Minnie Driver
Amber Riley
Ashley Cooke
Gayle King
Tiera Kennedy
GloRilla
Tanner Adell
Trisha Yearwood
Lukas Nelson
Ashley McBryde
Tiera Kennedy
Jane Seymour
Dasha
Brittney Spencer
Brandi Cyrus
Leah Turner
Chase Rice
Julie Williams
The Montana Boyz Kade Wilcox, Mark Estes, Kaleb Campbell Winterburn