Country music originates with the colloquial, rural aspects of white America. It's really, truly, rural white America's blues.

In retrospect I wrote things about my life and my family's existence, I realized that it was a frighteningly harsh way to make a living. And I used to say that they were slowly dying trying to make a living.

[My grandfather] was very, very fortunate that he was never trapped in a mining cave-in. But he lost his brother in a mining disaster on a shift that he wasn't working. And he was in a collapse where his brother-in-law was killed very near him in the same section.

I think that we come to a greater understanding of the world we live in and ourselves through reading.

I guess I stayed with the faith. I mean, organized religion is not something that I've maintained a direct connection to in my life, but the spirituality of it has had an indelible impact on my life and remains with me.

I've always been just kind of consumed by my own thoughts.

Buddy , you might think that I've lost my mind. But mister, I'd pay twice to do it one more time.