Country music in the mid-'90s was a big influence on my career, and I played all the songs that are referenced in '94' back in my club days. Joe Diffie was rocking a sick mullet, and he was hotter than ever... just putting out monster hit after monster hit. It totally takes me back to those days, and it makes me smile every time I hear it.

I think country music is obviously a great form of music. I think it's cool and has mass appeal.

If the right thing comes along and you get an opportunity to be a part of something you believe in, and you think it's cool and want to put your name on it, then you should.

The worst gig story I have is from a club in Alabama that I think is still up and running, so I won't name the name of the club. We got hired in there to play, and the owner was pretty annoying. He kept coming up to me during the show and asking me to play 'Purple Rain.'

After my first No. 1 song back in 2006, I worried I may never have another one.

There are people out there who are into traditional country music and for those people you have artists like Brad Paisley and Josh Turner and Alan Jackson. Then you have artists with a progressive style of country music, like myself and Eric Church and Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert.

It feels good when your hometown supports you, and Macon's always done that with us. Every time we come here, it's an event - which is nice.