Country star Eric Church has opened up about the time he was replaced by Taylor Swift on Rascal Flatts’ Me and My Gang tour in 2006. Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Church shared how the unexpected twist in his career eventually turned into a memorable connection with Swift.

Church revealed that after he was dropped from the tour, Swift stepped in as his replacement, marking one of her earliest major breaks in country music. Rather than holding onto resentment, he embraced the moment as part of his journey in the industry.

What made the story even more special, Church said, was Swift’s gesture afterward — she gifted him her very first gold record plaque as a token of appreciation. For Church, the moment highlighted both the unpredictability of the music business and the generosity of a young artist on the rise.