The 56-year-old star explained that Taylor was there for his young children after his wife was diagnosed with cancer, and would hang out with them as though she were their “big sister.”

Jeff married his high school sweetheart Jill Gregory in 1992, and they welcomed three daughters, Joslyn, Jaclyn, and Jerlyn, before Jill tragically died of breast cancer in May 2007.

Taylor — who released her debut album in 2006 — would have been just 17 years old at the time, but Jeff said that she was a shining light for his family.

During a recent appearance on WREG, Jeff was asked if the rumor that Taylor used to “babysit” his children was true or not, and he was more than happy to clear up the confusion.