If you can last until you're 40 years old, hopefully you'll be mature enough to figure out the rest of the years.

A country song is a song about life.

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones and pray for the ones who don't know? Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble, and sob for the ones left below?

When I was in high school, I don't know that I really had big dreams.

I think every album you have, especially if it's done well, you feel like you're competing with yourself.

You think about people like Hank Williams, who stood on that spot of wood, and Mr. Acuff, and, of course, George Jones. And just about anybody you can think of who has made country music has been on that stage. That's what makes you so nervous - to think about the historical part of the Opry and how it's played such a part in country music.

He's written some great songs. I thought that "Blues Man" was a perfect song for me to do as a tribute.