Country music has always been the best shrink that 15 bucks can buy.

As a songwriter, you might write every day and throughout the course of a year you might get four songs that are really special.

I always say the best applause you can get is when you walk from backstage up to your microphone at a concert. It's also nice to walk up to the mike at an awards show, and that applause is great, too, but the best is when your fans are cheering for you.

I try to make an album that reflects what I love about country music. It's not just all about happy parties all the time. There are some sad songs.

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.

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

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.