I learned a lot about what it was like to have to use different hotels and not use the bathrooms, which made me more determined to be an activist.

Religion is for people who are scared to go to hell. Spirituality is for people who have already been there.

You know, a lot of people feel that sobriety is about just stopping using whatever it was that you appeared to be addicted to, but it really has to do with a way of looking at your life and taking accountability.

Maybe the idea of me is more powerful than I perceive myself being.

I'm honored when young people say they've gone to school on slide guitar with my records. But people get their influence from my live shows and records and YouTube, not me personally. I walk around with a hat on. People don't know it's me.

My career is based on the slow build of an audience based on putting on a good show live and putting out a record every couple of years. I was already doing really well in terms of my goals, to keep my fans coming back.

Really important issues are getting lost, so I can say I'm glad to be a citizen of the planet and do my part.