Deep down, I'm just a West Virginia hillbilly.

When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new. It always winds up feeling more like a job interview.

She's a yellow pair of running shoes, a holey pair of jeans. She looks great in cheap sunglasses, she looks great in anything. She's, "I want a piece of chocolate cake; take me to a movie." She's a, "I can't find a thing to wear." Now and then she's moody. She's a Saturn with a sunroof with her brown hair blowing. She's a warm conversation I wouldn't miss for nothing. She's a fighter when she's mad and she's a lover when she's lovin'.

When Ray Flacke came out, it was like 'What in the heck is this?' ... there's a guy who had that Tele players attitude, and he plugged straight into that amp with a delay, and it was unbelievable the way he would bend those big strings ... he was really unique.

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.

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

I go to eat dinner with my folks when I'm home. I think that's the trick.