I didn't want to be treated like a 'star.' I fought it constantly, and I think I was rude.

First of all, I've been having a wonderful run of luck with cover albums, songs I didn't write. I had five pop cover albums and two Christmas albums, and they were all very successful.

You say something stupid and the next morning you're in the headlines.

When it comes to me, I just write the most beautiful music I can, I do the best work I can, and then I hand it out there.

For a Jewish guy, I've recorded a lot of Christmas albums.

To write a love song that might be able to make it on the radio, that is something that is terrifying to me. But I can definitely write a song about that chair over there. That I can do, but to sit and write a pop song out of the clear blue sky, that is very difficult and I admire the people that can do it.

I didn't want to be treated like a 'star.' I fought it constantly, and I think I was rude.