Blackberry Smoke is the real deal!

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.

I also was a huge 'Dukes of Hazzard' fan. I used to have T-shirts that said 'Dierks of Hazzard' custom-made.

I think if you sing a song for the first time to your mom and dad, or your friends, and they go, 'That's pretty cool'-if you're playing at the local bar somewhere, or the coffee shop, singing songs, or if you have a gig somewhere and you're singing your own songs, I think that's some version of making it. ... It's not just about having commercial success; it's about having a great life.

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.

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

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