[My mother] called [my voice] the gift.

My father was a man of love. He always loved me to death. He worked hard in the fields, but my father never hit me. Never. I don't ever remember a really cross, unkind word from my father.

I'm very shy really. I spend a lot of time in my room alone reading or writing or watching television.

People ask me who is my favorite country artist. I say, you mean besides George Jones.

The battle against the dark one and the clinging to the right one is what my life is about.

I wore black because I liked it. I still do, and wearing it still means something to me. It's still my symbol of rebellion -- against a stagnant status quo, against our hypocritical houses of God, against people whose minds are closed to others' ideas.

God gives us life and takes us away as He sees fit.