My father was a cotton farmer first and - but he didn't have any land or what land he had, he lost it in the Depression. So he worked as a woodman and cut pulpwood for the paper mills, rode the rails in boxcars going from one harvest to another to try to make a little money picking fruit or vegetables.

It was kind of a prodding myself to play I Walk The Line straight.

Come on boys, you must listen unto me, lay off the whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Prisoners are the greatest audience that an entertainer can perform to.

Could it be the girls and boys are trying to be heard above your noise?

I read novels but I also read the Bible. And study it, you know? And the more I learn, the more excited I get.

The first time I knew what I wanted to do with my life was when I was about four years old. I was listening to an old Victrola, playing a railroad song...I thought that was the most wonderful, amazing thing...That you could take this piece of wax and music would come out of that box. From that day on, I wanted to sing on the radio.