The collaboration wish list is huge, very long. It goes from people like Elton John, for whom I have an unbelievable amount of respect, to Snoop Dogg, whom I also respect a great deal.

Nowadays, not to say that that doesn't happen, but music is made a lot almost in a laboratory where you get one guy working in one studio, they send the file to another guy in some other part of the world, they send it back and then they send it this way and that way. Musicianship is kind of - there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, some great music is made that way.

You have to be willing to get back on that horse and try it again if the mood strikes. That was one of the great pieces of wisdom that I got early on in my career in terms of being blocked. If you get to a creative roadblock, you can sit there and rack your brain.

Barry Manilow is a guy who's had a tremendous longevity that few have had in the music business. I'm in awe of what he does.

I feel like collaboration in music has allowed me to grow musically beyond my wildest dreams.

I remember coming in to the studio and meeting Barry Manilow . I was kind of star-struck. He said, "I want to play you this song." We get to the end of the song and I hear him actually sing my name as part of the lyric. I had to pick my jaw up from the floor!

Barry Manilow was very special for me. We've had many collaborations since then and all have been equally rewarding and musical. I've learned so much from him. I like being a student around him; observing him in his environment.