On tour with Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift: Ready to go on tour? Ready!

Off cam: What are we doing right now?

Taylor Swift: We're here. We're about to leave. We're about to go on tourrrrrrrr!

Taylor Swift dubbed her debut tour “Fearless” -  just like her bestselling album.  With 52 shows squeezed into a hectic 6-month schedule, taylor and co. Will be criss-crossing the country through o=October.

Hoda Kotb: It is bizarre to know that this is all yours? Do you feel ready?

Taylor Swift: I'm ready.

April 14, 2008, Nashville, Tenn.

But even while she's knee deep in rehearsals, Taylor still has other performances to think about. Tonight, it's a set at the Grand Ol' Opry - country music's most famous stage.

@taylorswift13: playing at the grand ol' opry tonight

Just before Taylor's tour finally kicks off, we get a sneak peek inside what is about to become her home away from home.

Taylor Swift: This is my lucky number 13 and I put it on the door because I touch it every night before I go on stage.

Hoda Kotb: Alright.  What do we have here?

Taylor Swift: The girliest bus ever.

Hoda Kotb: No kidding!  Did you design the whole deal?

Taylor Swift: Yeah, completely. It was while I was making my second album so while I would leave the studio I would go over to the bus place and help them design it.  It has a fireplace.

Hoda Kotb: OK. This is crazy. I love it! So who's gonna ride with you here on this bus?

Taylor Swift: My mom rides with me on this bus. The first two years I was on a bus with my band and crew and it was really crowded and, ya know, thanks to how great this year's been we've been able to expand it and have a little space.

Hoda Kotb: Show me the rest of it.

Taylor Swift: This is my room.  Check it out.

Hoda Kotb: I gotta get in here.  Oh, how cool is this!

Taylor Swift: I'm so excited ‘cause I've never had a TV in my room before until I got this bus.

Hoda Kotb: You are kidding. It must be weird to realize the impact that you're having on people you don't know?

Taylor Swift: Yesterday in my little hometown of Hendersonville, Tennessee, when I'm in Cracker Barrel and this adorable couple comes up and is like, "Will you please hold our baby?" and they gave me their little five-month-old baby and I was like, "Sure, do you have a camera?" And they were like, "No, we just wanted to tell her some day that you held her."

Hoda Kotb: It's got to be a little overwhelming sometimes, huh?

Taylor Swift: In the best way possible though.

@taylorswift13: On the bus to Indiana...Ahh, back to the good old days..

A few days later, that bus pulls up in Evansville, Indiana.

Andrea Swift: So this is the first stop on the tour.

Taylor Swift: This is insane. This is the first stop on the tour.

Katelyn: Let's read a story. Ready? I'll start chapter one.

Taylor Swift: Once upon a time…

Katelyn: Once upon a time, there was Evansville, Indiana...

It's finally here. The day of her “Fearless” tour kick-off, and Taylor is filled with anticipation. If she can pull it off, all her planning and execution will culminate tonight. Dateline is backstage with Taylor in her vibe room - a cozy hang-out that is set up at every show.

Taylor Swift: I can't believe this is actually happening today, we've been rehearsing in a warehouse for three weeks now and, and it’s like, there's actually going to be a crowd.

Emily: All there for you!

All there for her. Yet Taylor shows no signs of nerves - perfectly relaxed, confident that everything will go off without a hitch.

Taylor Swift: I'm signing a bunch of different things for the venue. I never get tired of signing autographs ‘cause I used to do it so much in class dreaming about the day that it might mean something to somebody. Also, I can do it with my eyes closed. Watch!

Off camera: Fire marshal is coming! Oh my gosh! Fire marshal. Fire marshal is coming.

Taylor Swift: I just got wax in my eyeball, I just got wax in my eyeball! I'm burning, I'm burning ‘cause there is wax in my eye!

Uh-oh, only four hours left till show time.

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