Dan + Shay Pay Tribute to Taylor Swift with a Heartfelt “Back to December” Cover at the Grand Ole Opry
Country duo Dan + Shay brought their Swiftie energy to the Grand Ole Opry on October 21, performing a stunning acoustic rendition of Taylor Swift’s 2010 hit “Back to December.” The performance took place during Amazon Music’s Country Heat Takeover, and it quickly became one of the evening’s most talked-about moments.
“We Wanted to Honor One of the Greatest Country Songwriters”
Before launching into the song, Dan Smyers shared how the tribute came to be.
“We love country music songwriting. One of the greatest country music songwriters of all time put out an album a couple of weeks ago,” Smyers said, referring to Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl. “We were showing our respect, singing one of our favorite songs of hers at soundcheck, and somebody posted a little video of it. Social media kind of blew up.”
After fans flooded their pages asking for a full version, Dan + Shay decided to record their take on “Back to December”, releasing it just days before the Opry performance.
“We listened to our fans,” Smyers added. “You guys are amazing. You’re always right. We got in the studio, recorded a live version of this song, and the response has been absolutely incredible.”
A Spontaneous Opry Moment
Though they hadn’t originally planned to include it in their set, Dan + Shay felt moved to perform the Taylor Swift cover once they stepped onto the Opry’s hallowed stage.
“We walked in these doors and felt like it was only right,” Smyers explained. “Standing here in this circle tonight, we want to honor her, we want to honor that song.”
Then came the moment every Swiftie in the room was waiting for:
“Do we have any Taylor Swift fans in the house?” Smyers asked with a smile.
“You’ve got two Taylor Swift fans standing in the circle tonight,” he continued. “We’ve never done it acoustic like this, so pray for us. Wish us good luck.”
A Breathtaking Acoustic Tribute
With that, Smyers and Shay Mooney launched into their soulful version of “Back to December.” The stripped-down arrangement spotlighted their harmonies and emotional delivery, turning the pop-country ballad into a moment of pure connection.
The crowd swayed, sang along, and erupted in applause when the final note faded. Even in a night that featured performances by Lainey Wilson, Gabby Barrett, and Russell Dickerson, Dan + Shay’s tribute stood out for its sincerity and heart.
When the song ended, a visibly relieved Shay Mooney joked:
“We’ve been doing this a long time, but singing a Taylor Swift cover on the Opry stage might have been the most nervous I’ve ever been. If you mess up the words to a Taylor Swift song, not only you guys, but a billion people in the world are going to be pretty angry.”
A Set to Remember
The duo opened their Opry performance with their 2018 wedding anthem “Speechless” and closed with the crowd favorite “Tequila,” but it was their surprise Taylor Swift cover that stole the night — a humble, heartfelt tribute from two fans to one of country music’s greatest songwriters.
As Smyers put it best, the performance wasn’t just about covering a hit — it was about celebrating the power of country songwriting and the artists who inspire generations to come.