Soul2Soul II Tour: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Record-Breaking Journey with Taylor Swift
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill embarked on their Soul2Soul II tour on April 21, 2006, marking the beginning of a 118-stop journey that lasted until September 2007. The tour became one of the most successful country music tours, surpassing a record previously held by Garth Brooks. Notably, Taylor Swift, who opened for several dates, later broke the record less than a decade later.
The duo's touring history began in 2000 with the Soul2Soul tour, which consisted of 65 shows and attracted nearly one million fans nationwide. The format of the show included individual sets by Hill and McGraw, followed by duets like "It's Your Love" and Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way." Six years later, they returned with a bigger and more successful tour.
Announced in January 2006, the Soul2Soul II tour featured 74 shows, selling over a million tickets and grossing around $89 million. It ranked as the third-highest-grossing North American tour of the year, behind the Rolling Stones and Barbara Streisand, and the fifth-highest-grossing tour globally in 2006. The 2006 leg of Soul2Soul II set a new record as the highest-grossing country music concert, surpassing Garth Brooks' previous record.
Due to the immense success of the tour, a second run of shows was announced in February 2007, known as Soul2Soul 2007, to cover cities missed in the initial trek, bringing the total number of shows to 118. While the first leg of the tour had no opening acts, select dates on the 2007 tour featured openers like Lori McKenna, Lance Miller, Halfway to Hazard, and Taylor Swift.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill recognized Taylor Swift's potential during the tour, predicting her future stardom. Swift, who was a young artist at the time, went on to achieve immense success, breaking attendance records and becoming one of the biggest stars in the music industry. In 2014, her Red Tour surpassed McGraw and Hill's record, becoming the highest-grossing country music concert in history.
In conclusion, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Soul2Soul II tour was a monumental success, setting new records and paving the way for future country music tours. The addition of Taylor Swift as an opener further highlighted the tour's impact on the music industry and the artists involved.