AEW executive and wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett recently shared personal stories about his family’s long-standing connection to music superstar Taylor Swift, which began in their shared hometown of Hendersonville, Tennessee. Speaking with TMZ, Jarrett recounted an impromptu, three-hour concert Swift once gave at his home during a difficult time for his family.
The story took place in December 2006, a particularly trying period for the Jarrett family. “It was Christmas of 2006, my first wife was really ill with breast cancer. She passed away about five months after this, so she was really ill,” Jarrett explained. A friend of Swift’s, who was then a rising local star, suggested she visit Jarrett’s daughters, who were fans.
What began as a small, quiet visit quickly evolved into a full-blown musical performance. “She came over and didn’t bring her guitar in, but she actually ran back home that day because the girls wanted her to sing and play,” Jarrett recalled. As word got out, more friends and family began to arrive at the Jarrett home.
“It was just started out with, you know, I don’t know, the girls, 5, 6, 7, people,” he said. “By the end of the afternoon, Taylor played about three hours, and it ended up probably in our great room… There was probably 35, 40, 45 people at the end of it.” Jarrett noted the significance of that day, stating, “That was where, I think, in a lot of ways, and I’ll get emotional saying that she kind of bonded with the family, specifically with the girls.”
Jarrett noted that Swift’s support for his daughters continued in the months that followed, especially after his wife’s passing. “When my wife passed away, you know, Taylor stayed, hung around, and then was really good to the girls,” he said. This support often included simple, kind gestures. “She came over and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to take the girls back to my house,’ and they would bake cookies.”
When asked about her baking skills, Jarrett was definitive. “I can assure you, a Taylor Swift cookie… she can cook, and she definitely… can bake a mean chocolate chip cookie,” he said, before joking about her fiancé Travis Kelce. “I wouldn’t be surprised if, oh, Travis didn’t put on a few lbs… post football.”
The connection continued over the years, with one of Jarrett’s daughters, Jaclyn, later being cast to play a younger version of Swift in the music video for her hit song, “Mine.” Jarrett also mentioned that he and Swift’s father, Scott, still cross paths from time to time in their local community.
Jarrett then extended an open invitation for Travis Kelce to join him in an AEW ring once his football career concludes. “I would love for Kelce to step on into an AEW ring… The door will be open at AEW,” Jarrett stated. He also issued a playful warning, saying, “I got a guitar shot for Travis.”
He praised both Travis and Jason Kelce as natural “showmen at heart” and also commended Swift for her business acumen. “I’m always amazed at kind of her strategic moves,” he said. “Even her wedding engagement announcement was strategically placed. So hats off. Maybe the best marketer of our time.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit TMZ with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
