Celebrating a milestone of 25 years in the music industry, Little Big Town is set to release a 'Greatest Hits' album on August 9, featuring standout tracks like the Grammy-winning "Better Man," penned by Taylor Swift. The band, composed of Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, and Phillip Sweet, shared their journey with the song and its special connection to Swift.
Swift, who has maintained a long-standing friendship with the band since her early Nashville days, sent "Better Man" to them during a brief break from their tour with Luke Bryan. Sweet recalls the moment vividly: "I got an email one night... It was Taylor Swift. She said, 'Hey, I have this song. I've had it for a little while. I hear your harmonies on it. If you like it, great. If not, no big deal.'" The next day, he played the song for the group, and they were immediately captivated, feeling it was a perfect fit.
Fairchild explained the challenge of making the song their own, noting that Swift's influence as a writer and performer loomed large in their minds. "Reinterpreting it was quite a challenge because you just have her in your head," she said. The band, together with Swift, decided to initially keep her involvement a secret to let the song stand on its merits.
The result was spectacular. Fairchild fondly remembers Swift's reaction when she first heard their version in the studio: "She turned around after she listened to it, her mouth was open. She said, 'I love it. I love it.'" Swift has since performed her rendition of "Better Man" on her Eras Tour, highlighting the song's enduring appeal.
While "Better Man" was a shoo-in for the Greatest Hits album, the band expressed a desire to include more tracks. Fairchild shared, "We wanted to do more, and what people think of as a hit isn't always necessarily what we would deem a hit." Songs like "Daughters," "The Breaker," and "Don't Die Young, Don't Grow Old" were mentioned as favorites that didn't make the album due to space constraints.
Westbrook, Sweet, and Schlapman also noted other beloved tracks that resonate deeply with their fans, hinting at the possibility of more compilations in the future. "There's some special ones for us— 'Sugar Coat'— that we could have just kept going," Fairchild added, suggesting that there could be subsequent parts to this Greatest Hits collection.
As they gear up for a fall tour with Sugarland, Little Big Town remains a testament to the power of collaboration and friendship in music, bridging connections with icons like Swift and continuously resonating with fans through their heartfelt melodies.