I don't think of community as being a romantic notion. I think it's as vital as air and water, and so I think that informs a lot of what I write about. It could be a story about a couple, or a song about the slow death of the family farm or a small town.

I don't think people hear my songs and think, "Well this is a way to make a bunch of money."

I don't need to read the news. I see it on the faces of everyone I meet.

Much is written about wine ... of its makers, its nuances, its myths. The white hot center of each wine’s mystery lies in humble corners of the world, where growers pour their intention, their character and their love of labor into each wine.

I think the Internet has real potential for building community. People all around the world talking to each other can't be a bad thing.

It's impossible for me to think of music as a contest. All of the awards ceremonies, I mean I'm sure they're fun for people, but they have no meaning to me.

I don't think that good politics ever excuse a bad song.