When I was 13, I was just figuring out how to play 'Eruption,' poorly, by Eddie Van Halen.

I have been waiting a long time for this. It's been my dream forever. Now that it's a reality, I love it. I haven't been burnt out at all and I have a bunch of guys with me that feel the same way.

I mean, the last thing I want to do is be involved in politics.

That's what I love about Nashville and the music community - seeing kids around acoustic music and bluegrass picking parties is the best.

But as far as being an American and loving this country and getting a chance to travel across it every day and meeting people on the road and folks in the military, I love this country on so many different levels.

I think the great country songs mixed with some of that bluegrass instrumentation - and surrounding all that with a little bit of a rock vibe and energy - is the kind of music I make.

And I'm the biggest country fan there is, but I'm always a little cautious of a slower song or just a song with subject matter.