I've always been aware of having feelings that were pretty intense at times. I imagine most people have had that, or they wouldn't be human.

Some guy refuses to fight and we call that the sin, but he's standing up for what he believes in and that seems pretty damned American to me.

Maybe I spent more time dwelling on emotions than some people, and maybe that's why I ended up writing.

And I've been walking 'round with memories way too long.

Writing, overall, has never been what I'd call fun. It's fulfilling. It doesn't come real easy for me.

I was mainly influenced by the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, and others like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash.

I don't know what other people are like, I haven't been able to crawl inside anybody else.