If I get an idea for a song, I have a melody for it. I'm a musician first. I'm not limited by the fretboard.

I love any and all situations where you celebrate creativity.

I don't stare at a sheet of paper and try to think of a good word to use. I try to see where the story should go.

I try to write like the writers I admire - I rip them off in form. It comes from George Strait and Merle Haggard records, and country music in general is really good at that, the twisted phrase... So Im always looking for that angle in my own work.

I really worked to try and be creative enough on the guitar parts so those who aren't real educated would know that there was some difficulty in doing it.

This is real, this is your life in a song...this is country music.

Even on the most serious ballads, I'll throw in a tongue-in-cheek remark.