When I was growing up, I would go hang out with older guys at night in blues clubs.

For a black male, the sound of the blues is pre-Civil Rights. It's oppression.

I opened up my mind as far as playing music. I was at a Cody Chesnutt concert a few years ago, and a friend introduced me to him. We just started talking about music, and he asked me what I did. I said, "I have these songs and I'm kind of nervous to put them out, because I've just kind of been playing blues stuff, and playing other people's songs." He said, "You should just put them out there, man. Why not? It's just gonna bother you if you don't. The easiest thing to do is to just let it go." So I just took that with me.

I've been called 'musically schizophrenic,' and some people think that's a cool thing.

All I can do is do what I can do, and do what I know how to do. I do what I love to do, and that's pretty much it.

I never expected to be approached for an ad campaign.

There's nothing like a music festival. People are ready to have a good time. I don't think anyone comes to a festival going, 'I'm gonna be a complete bummer today.