I'm not going out there and doing the same material every night. I have this amazing audience of fans who have been listening to me, some of them since 1975.

I'm so grateful that I'm able to do something about this passion that I have for shelter animals. In a strange way, it completes me. It means so much to me and makes me feel like I'm truly making a difference.

You get to a certain point in your life where you get closer to the end of your life than the beginning, and it colors your life, in a way.

You meet a lot of people and have a lot of experiences, and they color you and stay with you - but I'm not the grieving widow. Life is much more complicated and interesting and full of zigs and zags than that.

I get a lot of sleep on the bus. I bring two dogs with me, who keep me grounded. I guess that's just in my soul. It's good to know that you're good at something.

It's basically a city of songwriters and that's what gives it it's strength, that's what gives it its lasting ability. You've got people making all different kinds of music and that's what attracts me to Nashville as Music City.

Like falling stars from the universe we are hurled Down through the long loneliness of the world Until we behold the pain, become the pearl