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.

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.

No, as an artist, you have to be free to explore all the corners of your heart. There are no boundaries.

And if I want to get involved in choosing sides, I usually pick hockey or football.

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

Patty Griffin is iconic, and there's no other word to really describe her. She is iconic for a lot of people - not only for me but for a lot of fans. Her voice is one of a kind, and she's such an important figure in the American music scene.

George Strait is the king and Kenny Chesney is about as big as it gets right now, though I wouldnt mind going back out on the road with him. Maybe I could go out on the road with some singers from other genres.