Upstate New York Theatre Used By Taylor Swift and Theatre Didn’t Know?

Three years ago, July 24, 2020, Taylor Swift released her "Folklore" album featuring 16 songs. In this collection there were 3 singles, "Cardigan", "Exile" and "Betty" but it's track 9, a haunting and breathy song named "This Is Me Trying", that's getting some New York attention today.

Did you know the official lyric video for "This Is Me Trying" showcases a drive-in movie theatre in Upstate New York? The 3 minute clip has been viewed millions of times and the theatre owners didn't even know their screen had been used for the video. How could that be?

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Established in 1959, the Greenville Drive-In on Highway 32 in Greenville, NY has hosted countless guests over the decades but the Taylor Swift lyric video for "This Is Me Trying" has exposed the Northern Catskills venue to more than 17 million people.

Theatre owners have embraced the association with Taylor and her fans, known as "swifties". The venue even lays claim to the world's most viewed drive-in screen. So, how were they unaware that their screen would be in a Taylor Swift video?

Approximately 4 years ago, according to a Drive-In 32 Instagram post, a freelance photographer entered the theatre without permission and began capturing footage of the screen that was to be uploaded to Shutterstock for anyone to use for a fee. Taylor Swift's people purchased it.

After one of our eagle-eyed Swiftie staffers quickly brought it to our attention, we did attempt to reach out to Taylor’s team to politely ask if they might identify and credit the drive-in as the location for the music video. Alas, we have yet to receive a response from her representatives. - Greenville Drive-In

The Greenville Drive-In is celebrating Taylor Swift Appreciation Week and they have a Sing-It-Big Karaoke Night (Taylor Swift edition) planned for Friday July 28th.