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.

I'm a huge fan of Billy Idol. I spiked my hair every day like him in 7th and 8th grade.

My dad and grandpa were in the army and as a country singer you're constantly playing at military bases all across the country and meeting soldiers and their families and hearing their stories.

I'm a member of the George Jones fan club, and I'm a member of U2's fan club.

I'm part of the party, getting the crowd fired up, singing songs, pouring drinks, whatever it takes to get them to have a good time. When I walk into the meet-and-greet, someone's always going to have a story, a sad story or a happy story.

You cant write about stuff you dont know about. You have to live it. You have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Live life to be a good songwriter.

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