In the early days, Porter Wagoner would not exactly scold me, but he's say, 'You're writing too many damn verses. You're makin' these songs too damn long.' And I'd say, 'Yeah, but I'm tellin' a story. I have a story to tell.' And he'd say, 'Well, you're not going to get it on the radio.' If I start writing a song, I'm writing it for a reason. People would say that I had to have two verses, and a chorus, and a bridge. I tried to learn that formula.

I've... been accused of being involved with every man I'm ever seen with or worked with. Maybe I have, maybe I ain't. I never tell if I have.

You don't see too many atheists on the deathbed. They all start cramming then.

I'm not happy all the time, and I wouldn't want to be because that would make me a shallow person. But I do try to find the good in everybody.

My first job was singing on the Cas Walker radio show in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was about 10 years old and I thought it was big time.

I often get myself in love trouble because I'm so passionate; I love so much and so deep.

I think everyone should be with who they love.